Black sprinter said he no longer felt safe driving in London after being stopped by 7 armed officers

Today, a black sprinter claimed he no longer felt secure driving in London and promised to sue the Met Police after he was stopped by “seven” armed cops – two years after a “racially profiling” stop and search.

Ricardo Dos Santos, 27, was stopped by police early on Sunday morning on the A40 in west London because authorities suspected he was using his cellphone while driving.Mr Dos Santos and Ms Williams pictured during an interview with the BBC following the first incident in Maida Vale, west London, on July 4, 2020A police car pulls in front of Mr Dos Santos as he drives in London on Sunday morningHe posted three clips of the stop on Twitter , including one of an officer withdrawing his extendable baton, and said seven armed police had stopped his £57,000 TeslaThe athlete added that 'nothing had changed' two years after he was pulled over with his partner, Bianca Williams (pictured), and their childMr Dos Santos replied to the Met statement: 'Hmm yes only showing part because the rest will be with my lawyer. Also no mention of why I took a little longer to stop'

In 2020, he and his Team GB athlete girlfriend, Bianca Williams, were stopped by the Metropolitan Police in Maida Vale while traveling with their child.

 

Mr. Dos Santos said in a series of television appearances this morning that he feels the most recent event was a second instance of racial profiling.

 

‘If there is a purpose for it, then by all means continue, but if you believe someone is on the phone… I believe they saw me, a person of color, and said, “Let’s see what he accomplishes,” he told Good Morning Britain. When presenter Rob Rinder asked the athlete whether he would take further action, the athlete said, “We will.”

 

This is the second time I’ve been stopped since 2020, in addition to the several occasions before that.

 

“When I see a police vehicle, particularly late at night, I am very careful about my actions. In the back of my mind, I’m always wondering, ‘Will I be stopped?’ and it’s quite terrifying.

 

Mr. Dos Santos said that he sold his prior automobiles to become “less of a target.”

 

He said, “I won’t put myself in a situation where they can stop me.” ‘I sold the automobiles I had before to get this one because I wanted to blend in more, but it’s not the car.

 

‘I sold the BMW and the Mercedes in order to get a Tesla, since it is a commonplace automobile. It is not a vehicle you would equate with anything. When asked on BBC Breakfast how secure he felt driving about London after the event, he responded: “Very safe.” “Sincerely, I do not. I don’t feel secure at all.

 

“When I initially saw the automobile, my first thought was, “Is it going to happen?”

 

“And each time I pass a police vehicle while driving, I wonder, “Will it happen this time?” Will it occur this time around? When will it occur once more? “‘

 

It comes two years after the Olympian and his girlfriend, British athlete Bianca Williams, were stopped in Maida Vale, west London, while driving with their infant and accused the police of racial stereotyping.

 

A police sergeant-in-training and four police constables face gross misconduct disciplinary proceedings for the 2020 incident in which a couple was arrested and their child’s information was entered into a police database.

 

And the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said Tuesday that it was evaluating the available evidence after receiving a report from the Met on the stop this weekend.

 

A spokesperson said, ‘We are aware of this situation and the film released on social media over the weekend, and we have received a referral from the Directorate of Professional Standards at the Metropolitan Police Department. We will evaluate the facts in order to make an educated choice on our degree of engagement.’

 

Mr. Dos Santos told the BBC that he had been carrying his phone between his legs while accusing the police of “over-policing.”

 

The Metropolitan Police Department said that further reinforcements were sent since the vehicle failed to pull over, but Mr. Dos Santos claimed that he believed it was hazardous to stop, so he kept driving for five minutes until he found a safe location.

 

I missed the exit turn, and the flyover is somewhat dark, so I took the next exit… and pulled over on the first accessible street. He added, “I parked and waited for them to come to me.”

 

“For my protection, and based on my prior encounters with them [police], I believed that a well-lit area with the chance of witnesses would be the ideal spot to halt.”

 

He told Radio 5 Live that he thought nothing had changed in the two years after he was stopped, and he worried that one of the cops might shatter the glass of his vehicle out of irritation.

 

The athlete, who ran in the 400m event at the Tokyo Olympics last year, stated that this was the third time in two years that he had been stopped by police while driving.

 

Following the stop, he wrote, “Not surprised I had to go through this again.” Last night as I was travelling home, seven armed Met Police officers stopped me because they believed I was using my phone. When it was safe to do so, I pulled over per their request.

 

“After I pulled over, two cops raced towards each side of the vehicle, and one, with fist clinched, hammered on my glass and attempted to unlock the car door.

 

‘Frustrated by his inability to operate a Tesla handle, he whipped out his club and prepared to shatter the window.

 

“I’m frustrated that two years have passed and nothing has changed, but they continue to evade the cops.”

 

The event has been logged as a public complaint, and the Met is awaiting a response from the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

 

Mr. Dos Santos said that he would not have direct contact with the Metropolitan Police Department but would instead delegate the matter to his attorney.