UK Police Apologize, Give £4,000 To Photog For Bogus Arrest And Gay Slur

Jules Mattsson was just 15 when he was stopped by police for taking photos of a London parade in 2010.

It was Armed Forces Day—and the coppers claimed that photographing the servicemen amounted to anti-social behavior and could be considered a terrorist threat. We’re not up on the details of English etiquette, but we’re pretty sure snapping pics of a parade wouldn’t set Miss Manners’ hair on end.

When the teen demanded an explanation, an inspector told him that he was  “running around being stupid and gay.”

Ah now that we know is a capital offense!

But Mattson (at right) is a wise lad—he recorded the incident on tape and filed a complaint. On Monday, Mattsson received an apology and £4,000 in compensation from the Metropolitan Police.

“It was a bizarre and ridiculous situation,” Mattsson told the Telegraph. “I was not doing anything wrong and yet they arrested me. When I complained they came up with this ridiculous explanation.”

If the London fuzz was looking to intimidate Mattsson with their homophobic slur, it couldn’t have backfired more—he’s now an established professional photographer with an impressive portfolio.

Image via DulcieLee

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