Policing Black Children

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In July, a boy on his bike in east London was suddenly surrounded by armed police. He was handcuffed and had guns pointed at him by officers, who suspected he was carrying a firearm. In fact, it was a water pistol and he was having a water fight with his sibling. The story of the boy, known as Child X, went viral in the summer of 2023. The case was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and has triggered a conversation about police-community relations in Hackney, the borough where the incident happened. In this episode of the 5 Minutes On podcast, the BBC's Community Affairs correspondent Adina Campbell speaks to two men who say they grew up in London in fear of officers and sirens, and to the police commander in Hackney who says he wants to improve relations with local people. Producer: Gabriele Shaw (Image: BBC)