Police officer charged with assault over confronting protester tackle

A police officer has been charged with assault after a confronting tackle at Flinders Street Station that was caught on camera.

A policeman has been charged with serious assault-related offences after a confronting incident caught on video at Flinders Street Station.

The senior constable came under internal investigation over what was described as a sling tackle on a man who was talking to other officers on September 22.

The incident came at a time of widespread CBD protest activity though there is not suggestion the man dumped to the ground was a demonstrator.

The officer, from the southern metro region, has been charged with recklessly causing injury, unlawful assault and common law assault.

“The 36-year-old male officer has been charged on summons to appear before court at a later date,” a Victoria Police statement said.

Video of the arrest went viral on social media.

A police officer has been charged with assault for a tackle on a man at Flinders Street Station.

The incident went viral on social media.

At the time, Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Shane Patton told 3AW Radio the force was reviewing the footage.

“We’ll investigate that,” Mr Patton said.

“I don’t know what the full circumstances are. There’s always context to everything.”

Lawyers also criticised the arrest.

Jeremy King, Victorian president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance, was one of them.

“I appreciate that it has been a long and difficult week for police and their patience is wearing thin,” Mr King said at the time.

“But this sort of conduct can never be justified.”