Lesbian claims she was battered by police at London Pride during altercation because they thought she was a MAN
Victim, who calls herself Charmer, says she was thrown into a wall during the annual gay pride event in central London
A LESBIAN claims she was left covered in blood after being attacked by police at a gay pride event – because they thought she was a man.
The victim, who named herself only as ‘Charmer’, says she was hurled into a wall by an officer as she tried to protect her partner at Pride London on Saturday.
The student from Southwark, South London, described how she jumped to girlfriend Laura’s defence after she was bundled to the ground by a man outside the capital’s G-A-Y nightclub.
But as she remonstrated with the burly bloke, Charmer says she was set upon by a group of male coppers who mistook her for a man while restraining her.
She said: “Whilst the police had me, they were calling me a lad I was telling them I was a female and that they was hurting me but they carried on.
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"The officers slammed my head into the wall and split my head open."
Security guard Laura, 22, said there were about ten police who restrained Charmer against a wall outside the nightclub in Soho, central London.
She said: "We're not criminals we just came here for a good time - the police didn't even go after the man involved.
"I 100 per cent think it was discrimination - they kept calling her a lad and there was no female officers.
"Her head was pouring with blood and she had a panic attack, when she has severe chronic back pain already."
Charmer, has been diagnosed with ADHD, panic attacks, anxiety, chronic back pain, and a personality disorder, was arrested and spent a night in the cells after being patched up in hospital.
The pair now plan to complain to the Metropolitan Police watchdog.
She added: “I was dressed like a boy - I think that's the reason they thought I was a boy.
"They said: 'listen lad, you don't tell us what to do, we tell you what to do' and they shoved me causing both my wrists to bruise.
"It was really painful - I was in so much pain and I'm taking tablets for my split eye.
"I explained to them that I was disabled and I wasn't resisting arrest - instead they continued to laugh and restrain me to the point that I have been mentally and physically affected by this for life."
Girlfriend Laura said: "We love Pride and we've never had any problems before, we were even taking pictures with police officers and wasn't drinking much - we're not trouble makers.
"I just want something to be done, it's not acceptable for police to be going around doing this.
"She had her face glued that night and then onto the police station, it's disgusting that they made her go to the station.
"We weren't going to go this year because of Orlando but we thought 'let's go and show we are not scared'. And then that happened!
"It's really upsetting, as I've always looked up to the police."
A Met Police spokesperson said: "Police on patrol during PRIDE came across an altercation between two women and two men at Old Compton Street at 2230hrs on Saturday, 25 June.
"Officers intervened and a 26-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of affray.
"The arrested female declined any medical attention at the scene.
"She subsequently became unresponsive during the journey to custody. Officers immediately alerted London Ambulance Service and the woman was taken to hospital where she received treatment for a cut to the head before being discharged.
"She has since been released on police bail to a date in late August pending further enquiries.
"No complaint has been received in relation to this incident at this time."
Up to one million lined the streets of London for the annual gay pride rally over the weekend.
In one of the event’s highlights, an on-duty copper was filmed proposing to his boyfriend to raucous applause from the watching crowd.
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