Northamptonshire Police are facing intense backlash after a video recently surfaced showing police officers allegedly using excessive force on Santino, a Black university student, on August 8, 2024.

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The video has sparked outrage on social media, with comments from viewers ranging from “If we can't trust them to keep us safe, who can we trust?” to “Please tell me you’ve contacted a solicitor”. 

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The video has continued to garner attention due to the police officers' forceful conduct, including visibly punching Santino whilst he was restrained. Additionally, reports that Santino was allegedly helping a homeless person when police suspected him of being a drug dealer, has further intensified the public perception of the video.

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The widely shared 4 minute and 29 second video shows what appears to be a plain-clothes officer forcefully ramming Santino into a gate. The officer then pins the young man face down with his knees before striking him several times as he lay on the ground. A second officer arrives who then cuffs the young man before at least six more officers arrive at the scene.

Santino took to social media to share the video and described how events unfolded in the following caption: 

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“On the 8th of August 2024 after coming back from university to my family town to visit my family. I was walking back home from my local shop. After seeing an elder from my local community that I haven't seen for a while since moving to university I stopped to say hello after finishing my conversation I proceeded my route home much to my surprise I saw a man start running after me.

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 My first thought was to run as I didn't know who or what this man was after. I then heard 'Police stop' and at that point I stopped. As you can see in the video this police officer barged me against the wall without me having any knowledge as to why or what was going on, even though I was confused I cooperated…

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l know as a young black man in these times struggling with the police is something we can not do as we have seen it could lead to injury, made up crimes and even death. I was slammed against the floor and as you can see in the video punched several times which is not restraining someone and was highly unnecessary. Several police officers then surrounded me calling me names like the 'local drug dealer' and being involved in 'county lines' at this

point l hadn't even said a word and these were assumptions as I'm not known to the police at all. 

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I tried to explain that I'm just a uni student coming home to see my family but I was laughed at and was told 'I am full of shit. was then taken to an empty police station and pushed into a dark room. I asked for legal representation or at least an advocate as I felt very uncomfortable as l've never been in this situation before and didn't know what to ask for. I was then mocked for asking for this and told 'I do not need one'.”

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At present, Santino has not been charged with any crime and Northamptonshire Police are yet to issue a response to the viral video and subsequent backlash.

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