Metropolitan Police officers on 'restricted duties' over windscreen smash video
Dramatic footage showed an officer smashing man's car in case of mistaken identity
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Your support makes all the difference.Two Metropolitan Police officers have been placed on "restricted duties" after an incident where a policeman was filmed smashing a car's windscreen during a traffic stop.
Scotland Yard said it was investigating the use of force showed in the video, which began with a case of mistaken identity.
In the dramatic video, an officer can be heard telling a man filming from inside a stopped car that he is "not allowed to drive it" and to "get out of the car". Scotland Yard now says officers had mistaken the man inside for "a man who is of interest to police".
The driver, who has been identified as 25-year-old mechanic Leon Fontana, tells the officer: "I've got a licence, I've got insurance."
But the officer proceeds to strike the windscreen, shattering the glass, before attempting to slice into the glass with a penknife.
Scotland Yard said a formal complaint has been made to the Metropolitan Police after the footage was circulated of the incident involving two uniformed officers in the Camden area of north London on Friday 16 September.
"The footage continues to be subject to an investigation by officers from the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) and the driver of the car has been spoken to by these officers," a police statement read.
"The officers involved in the incident have been identified and have been placed on restricted duties.
"Although the investigation is in its early stages, it has been established that the officers stopped the vehicle based on information relating to a man who is of interest to police. On conclusion of the incident the officers identified that the driver was not the man in question and he was not arrested.
"The investigation will examine the officer's use of force during the incident."
Leon Fontana, a 25-year-old mechanic, told the Press Association he was the driver and the person who filmed the footage.
He said the incident took place on Friday evening when he had gone out on an errand for his mother.
He said it was a case of "mistaken identity", describing what happened as "a completely unlawful act".
Mr Fontana, who said he spent the evening in hospital due to getting glass in his eyes, said it was "complete madness" and that he is "still in shock".
He said: "Every time he smashed the glass, fragments of glass were just ricocheting in my face."
Mr Fontana said he is not sure when his car will be fixed and described the whole incident as "very stressful", adding: "I can't believe it to be honest. I can't believe it. I'm still in shock."
Additional reporting by agencies
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