Policeman disciplined after race row hits out at force's 'oppressive political correctness'

PC Marcus Tyson was recorded responding to the pro-Kurdish protestors in central London last month.

A policeman who faces losing his job after telling a protestor “you don’t tell me what to do in my own country” has accused the Metropolitan Police force of “oppressive political correctness”.

PC Marcus Tyson was recorded responding to the pro-Kurdish protestors in central London last month.

He has been placed on restricted duties while an investigation into the incident takes place.

In the video posted on YouTube, the protestors can be heard shouting “f*** the police”.

PC Tyson is seen walking along next to the group of protestors, and responds to one woman, believed to be the organiser of the march, and tells her “you don’t tell me what to do in my own country.”

“It’s my country,” he adds. “You get on and do what you’re supposed to do”.

“I heard that,” another protestor tells him. “That’s racist”. Another later adds that he’s recorded the policeman’s comments.

PC Tyson added: “You have no way of organising this properly, you lot have lost the plot.”

Speaking to the Sunday Times, PC Tyson, who has been a policeman for 29 years, hit out at the Metropolitan Police’s treatment of him, and accused the force’s directorate of professional standards (DPS) of “oppressive political correctness”.

He said: I would like to know upon what basis they regard my statement as being racist, it is purely a statement of fact that this is my country.

“The action the DPS have taken against me is so wildly over the top, it discredits the investigators and brings their judgment into question.”

He said he accepted the right for people to complain, but said the force’s reaction has been disproportionate and is affecting officers’ ability to work properly.

He added: “It is highly prejudicial to have put me on restricted duties.

“There are an awful lot of my colleagues who are suffering from this awful and oppressive political correctness that's infected the professional standards units in all of the boroughs and the DPS Met-wide. It means that officers are afraid to do their jobs properly.”

If found guilty of racism, PC Tyson could lose his job.

A Met Police spokesman said: “A public complaint was made on August 20 regarding alleged comments made by a police constable at a demonstration in Westminster on August 15.

“The matter is being dealt with by the DPS as alleged gross misconduct.

“On September 20, it was confirmed that the PC would be subject to local restrictions. These include not having face-to-face contact with the public.”