In a startling incident in Hackney, east London, a 13-year-old boy found himself surrounded by armed police officers after one of them mistook his water pistol for a real firearm.

On July 19th, while engaged in the water fight, an officer on patrol reported a potential firearms incident. The water guns being used were blue, white and pink, making it clear they were toys, according to the Alliance for Police Accountability (APA).

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However, the report led to a swift and dramatic response. Armed units from the Metropolitan and City of London Police descended upon the scene. A police van knocked the teenager off his bike and he was handcuffed as officers pointed their weapons at him, under the suspicion of being in possession of a firearm.

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The shocking treatment of Child X and the distressing scene that unfolded drew strong condemnation from the APA. It emphasised that the water pistol was unmistakably a toy, and the subsequent events were deemed appalling.

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Child X's mother arrived at the scene and challenged the officers, leading to her son's de-arrest.

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The family of Child X met with Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, the officer in charge of policing for Hackney and Tower Hamlets. Mr. Conway extended an apology to the family, acknowledging the extreme distress caused by the incident.

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He stated, "We know it may cause public concern, and we want to help the public understand why we responded in the way we did. This does not in any way detract from our recognition of the trauma caused to the boy, for which I apologised soon afterward to his family."

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An internal investigation conducted by the Metropolitan Police found no misconduct on the part of the involved officers. However, a separate complaint alleging racial bias is currently under investigation by the force's standards department. This incident has raised questions about police responses to perceived threats, especially when involving young individuals and toys that resemble real weapons.

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Mr Conway said: "Our officers are dealing with fast-moving situations, based on the limited information provided to them at the time.

"Such is the nature of the threat from firearms that the College of Policing is clear that officers should treat all firearms as real and loaded until proven otherwise.

"The police have a positive legal obligation under human rights legislation to protect life, which shapes our approach to responding to suspected firearms."