By 3 News online staff
New South Wales police are investigating accusations an officer used excessive force against a reveller during last weekend’s Mardi Gras in Sydney.
The incident was captured on video by an onlooker and uploaded to YouTube. The account, called SydneyMardiGras2013, claims the footage was shot near Oxford Street around 11:30pm on Saturday, the night of the Mardi Gras parade.
It shows a handcuffed man being thrown to the ground by a policeman, who then stands on the man’s back.
The man shouts “I didn’t do anything wrong!” as he is handcuffed.
Onlookers can be heard pleading with police to stop what they are doing.
Police repeatedly tell the camera operator to stop filming, but they refuse.
Police say an 18-year-old man has been charged with assaulting police, resisting arrest and using offensive language following an incident at the intersection of Riley and Oxford Streets.
"Following vision of the event being made available to police, an internal investigation will be launched to determine the full circumstances leading up to and surrounding the incident," a police spokesman said.
Australian media have also reported other claims of police kicking and pushing revellers at the parade.
Portions of the attached video have been edited out.
3 News
source: newshub archive
