Daily US Times: Australian authorities have suspended a policeman over the arrest of a man who was allegedly hit by a police car and then kicked in the head by an officer.
The 32-year-old was put in an induced coma and admitted to intensive care after the arrest in Melbourne on Sunday.
After footage of the incident went viral, his family has called for an independent investigation.
An internal unit was investigating the matter, and the officer is suspended, Victoria Police said.
For the past two months, Melbourne has been under a strict coronavirus lockdown.
Police have been given unprecedented powers. Under public health orders, police are allowed to fine and detain people, but it does not appear that Sunday’s arrest was related to a lockdown breach.
The man had been at a hospital seeking treatment for mental health issues but when he left, that prompted staff to call the police.
A bystander captured the video of the arrest which shows a policeman appearing to stomp on the man’s head before officers pin him to the ground.
Victoria Police said the man assaulted an officer and had been behaving erratically.
The Seven News TV channel broadcast a footage that shows the man walking in the middle of the road, waving his arms in front of a police car.
He then turns his back and walks away slowly, before being hit by the police car from behind.
In another video, which was taken several minutes later, an officer stands over the man and appears to kick down on his head to prevent him from getting up. He and five other officers then pin him down.
The man’s father has accused the officers of using excessive force.
He told Herald Sun newspaper that it is like watching a video from America or Beirut.
“Police are not above the law – they should be held accountable. They were kicking him and he wasn’t even fighting back. It was extremely excessive,” the father added.
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