Shocking footage has emerged of a Big Issue vendor being placed into a ‘chokehold’ and slammed to the ground by a Marks & Spencer security guard in central London.
The video, recorded by a member of the public outside M&S in Covent Garden, shows the security guard pin the Big Issue seller’s arms behind his back and attempt to drag him into the store in front of dozens of onlookers.
He tells the vendor to “stop resisting” before wrapping his arms around his neck and placing him into a chokehold. He then throws him to the ground. The vendor can be heard pleading “get off me, I’m sorry”.
An M&S staff member then moves to block the camera before trying to help drag the man back into the store as the security guard shouts “get him inside”. However, the vendor is allowed to return to his feet when the incident attracted a crowd, before he is told to “go away, don’t come back”.
Nothing justifies this behaviour – it is completely unacceptable and is not tolerated at M&S
It is not known what caused the incident.