This is the moment a police officer sprayed a crowd and yelled ‘get back’ during an altercation in Leeds.
The chaotic scenes took place on Third Avenue in Rothwell on Sunday, October 22, after a huge crowd amassed around police.
The video was posted on X, formerly Twitter, by YappApp, claiming ‘three officers received minor injuries’ during the incident while ‘two men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of offences including assaulting police officers’.
Shocking footage shows some police engaging in a physical altercation with one man next to a red car that is parked on the street.
One officer abruptly begins using what appears to be pepper spray at the riled up crowd as she yells ‘get back now’. She then appears to spray one man in the face before letting off another burst on to another.
A police officer was caught on video spraying a crowd and yelling ‘get back’ during a huge altercation in Leeds
Another carrying a baton was seen on the street in Rothwell, West Yorkshire, telling people to get back
What appeared to be more senior officers, wearing all black uniforms at the scene
The same officer repeatedly keeps shouting ‘get back’ before another steps in to assist.
The man filming the ensuing chaos can be heard saying: ‘The f*** you doing you little muppet?’. The camera then pans to another officer as the same person asks: ‘What are you doing you?’.
More officers then step in to take control of the situation as they form a line blocking the crowd from moving further down the street.
The man filming asks one: ‘You seen what she just done to her mate?’
Others can be heard asking ‘who’s been arrested?’ and insisting ‘that boy has not done no wrong’ while a police dog can be heard barking in the background.
Later in the video, more police vans are seen arriving as the situation descends into further chaos.
A man then explains: ‘F***ing just dragged him out his car and then started pepper spraying everyone.’
The same officer that was seen spraying the crowd then yells ‘get out of the road now’ before shoving a woman towards the pavement.
The police eventually gain control of the situation after the crowd has dispersed and several police cars can be seen on the side of the street.
Shocking footage shows police being swarmed by a crowd of people, with some officers seen engaging in a physical altercation with one man next to a red car that is parked on the street
One officer (pictured left) abruptly starts using what appears to be pepper spray of the riled up crowd
She aggressively yells ‘get back now’ at the crowd while holding the spray in her hand
Other officers carrying batons block the crowd from getting further up the street
Many of the officers in the three-minute-long video appear to very young as they stood among a group of what seem to be older colleagues.
It comes after two student recruits from West Yorkshire Police were mocked by online trolls about how young they looked.
Superintendent Helen Brear of West Yorkshire Police posted a photo on Twitter alongside the message: ‘Welcome Alfie and Noah to Kirklees District. New student officers as part of our Police Uplift programme, #Policing family.’
All student officers must be over 18 to apply but keyboard bullies soon went into overdrive at the sight of the budding policemen standing with Supt Brear and another female officer.
But Supt Brear did not see the funny side and hit back, saying: ‘I have been incredibly disappointed by some of the responses.
‘Both of my colleagues passed the recruitment process and displayed they had the skills/abilities. Both will make great cops and I as their leader will ensure they reach their potential.’
West Yorkshire Police’s website states that those applying to join the police ‘must have reached 18’ to become a student officer.
Their training combines a mixture of classroom learning and practical experience and if successful will gain a degree at the end of the three-year course.
Superintendent Helen Brear of West Yorkshire Police posted a photo on Twitter alongside the message: ‘Welcome Alfie and Noah to Kirklees District. New student officers as part of our Police Uplift programme, #Policing family’
A profile of the student officer role states the ‘key outputs’ include ‘arrest, detain or report individuals ensuring that they are dealt with appropriately in line with current guidance’.
Another is to ‘interview, victims, witnesses and suspects’ and officers must ‘lead by example and behave in line with the Police Code of Ethics’.
‘Essential’ attributes for West Yorkshire officers is to ‘communicate clearly’, have a ‘good command of English’, basic computer skills, ability to pass a fitness test and ability to undertake biometric testing.
Last year the West Yorkshire force recruited 624 officers through its Uplift programme.
has contacted West Yorkshire Police for comment.