London - The Police Complaints Authority is conducting an investigation into claims by a senior Asian community leader in Burnley that a police officer beat him unconscious during disturbances in the town, reports Rachel Donnelly.
Officials will investigate the claim by Mr Shahid Malik, a member of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Labour Party's National Executive, that he was beaten with a riot shield as he attempted to reduce tensions between a group of Asian youths and the police on Monday night.
Mr Malik, whose father, Rafique, is deputy mayor of Burnley, needed five stitches for a head wound. He said he was appealing for calm when he was assaulted. "I was face to face with one of the officers and said `It's OK, there are no problems here'. Then he lifted his riot shield with the edge up and smashed it straight into my face," he said. "I said: `What are you doing. I'm not trying to cause trouble, I'm trying to stop it.' He repeatedly hit me again. I was unconscious for a few seconds . . . they were saying `Get up, stop acting, there's nothing wrong with you'."
Mr Malik was arrested and released, but police have said they will be interviewing him again.