Man wearing nothing but Speedos arrested whilst sunbathing during heatwave in Brick Lane

Laura Proto6 June 2016

A middle-aged man wearing nothing but Speedos was arrested after setting up a deckchair in the middle of Brick Lane market.

Stunned bystanders filmed the moment the sun-worshipper was confronted by police as he soaked up the rays on Sunday afternoon.

Police officers were seen telling the outraged man they had received complaints about his behaviour from members of the public.

After several minutes of discussion, they then told the man he was being arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency.

Sunbathing: The man wearing Speedos set up a deckchair in Brick Lane
YouTube

Craig Jameson, 28, who filmed the incident, said he initially thought the man was part of a “slightly odd street performance”.

He told the Standard: “He was sitting there really quietly just laughing when people came up to him.

“Someone started talking to him for ages and he just said he was listening to the music.

“We watched for a little while and people were laughing and joking and nobody seemed offended.

“A couple of the safety wardens from the council came over and spoke to him. They thought he was doing something wrong and they asked him to move but he didn’t.”

Mr Jameson said he and his wife went to a couple of shops and returned about five minutes later to see police trying to arrest the sunbather.

Police could be heard telling the man that there had been complaints about him to which the man responded: “Who is upset?

“It’s illegal to sunbathe?” he then asks the officers as they try to move him on.

As officers attempt to arrest him he calls out: “Get this on camera, arresting me for sunbathing.”

After being placed in handcuffs, the arrested sunbather makes reference to Muhammad Ali, shouting: “For Ali. He likes freedom.”

Arrested: The man was taken away in handcuffs by police officers
YouTube

Mr Jameson said he filmed the “bizarre” incident because he did not believe the man had done anything wrong.

He told the Standard: “He wasn’t wearing anything less than what people wear on the beach or at London Fields. He wasn’t doing any harm.

“[Police] grabbed hold of both of his arms – he wasn’t violent but was resisting. They then walked him away in handcuffs.

“I just thought it was not the right way to be handled. I thought they could have spoken to him and established he was doing no harm or give him a clear reason why he couldn’t be there but they didn’t.

“It was something I’ve never seen before. After he was arrested, people were talking and everyone I heard was saying it was not the right thing to happen. There was no need for it.”

It comes a year after a man was arrested for setting up a deckhair in the middle of an east London road. It is not clear whether the two incidents are linked.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said a man was later charged.

He said: “Gerald Muir, 51, of Tower Hamlets, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Brick Lane on Sunday, June 5.

“He has been bailed to appear at Thames Magistrates Court on June 20.”

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