A man was forcefully restrained by a group of eight police officers on his doorstep and subsequently handcuffed. The incident, which occurred during a purported ‘mental health check’ as he was taking out his bins, left the Edinburgh resident bruised. Following the altercation, the man lodged a formal complaint with Police Scotland.
Gabriels Ochnolichs, the individual involved, was approached by two officers at his residence in Muirhouse after his social worker expressed concerns about his well-being. What was intended as a routine check quickly escalated, with the 21-year-old alleging that the officers behaved aggressively towards him.
Video footage captured by his mother shows one officer grabbing Gabriels by the neck, causing him to be thrown to the ground and restrained with handcuffs. Subsequent footage reveals around eight officers surrounding him, with Gabriels pinned to the floor and his legs restrained. He has since filed a complaint with Police Scotland regarding the treatment he received during the incident, which took place on January 8th at 4:20 pm.
Recounting the ordeal, Gabriels explained, “I was detained by Police Scotland under mental health powers, but it was a misunderstanding.” He clarified that his lack of communication with his social worker led to the police being called without his knowledge. Despite his compliance, he described being forcefully restrained by the officers, causing distress and physical harm.
After being escorted to a police van, Gabriels claimed that the officers removed the restraints and attempted to justify their actions by stating they were conducting a welfare check. He expressed frustration over the use of excessive force and the negative impact on his reputation within his community.
In response to the incident, a Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed the receipt of a complaint, which is currently being reviewed by the department responsible for professional standards.