A mother whose autistic child was dragged from her home by seven cops and arrested for saying a female officer ‘was a lesbian like her nana’ has insisted her daughter is not homophobic and blasted police for overreacting. 

The 16-year-old girl, who also suffers from spinal disability scoliosis, had been driven to her home in Leeds, West Yorkshire, by officers after attending the city’s Gay Pride celebrations with her sister when she allegedly made the comment.

She was later dragged away ‘screaming’ in the early hours of Monday morning having been arrested on suspicion of ‘homophobic public order offence’.

Footage of the incident, filmed by the girl’s mother went viral on TikTok prompting a furious backlash online, with West Yorkshire Police being accused of being heavy-handedness. 

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, the 39-year-old mother-of-six has defended her daughter and said: ‘My girl did not mean anything by the remark. Some of her best friends are gay… She did nothing wrong. She was saying to the police officer she was sorry. The police woman said “I don’t care. You are getting arrested”.

‘I don’t see how they can take offence from a comment like that. How is that a hate speech? She did not mean anything by it.

The teenage girl called this police officer a 'lesbian like nana' which prompted the intoxicated 16-year-old to be arrested

The teenage girl called this police officer a ‘lesbian like nana’ which prompted the intoxicated 16-year-old to be arrested 

The girl cowered in a corner of the hallway as her mother said she was autistic and had not meant to offend the officer

The girl cowered in a corner of the hallway as her mother said she was autistic and had not meant to offend the officer

‘If my girl had done wrong I would have said “take her” But what that officer did was wrong. She went about it the wrong away.’

West Yorkshire Police said it is fully investigating the circumstance of the incident, with Assistant Chief Constable Oz Khan insisting the ‘nature of the comments made was fully captured on body-worn video’.

According to the mother, her 16-year-old daughter had been at a friend’s home when she ‘sneaked out’ to find her older sister who had celebrating her 18th birthday at Leeds’ Gay Pride event on Sunday. 

The mother, who is a cancer survivor, added her daughter had been drinking while out and was ‘running in the road and being unsafe’ when she was found by her older sister. 

Concerned, the 18-year-old called police ‘for help’ after being unable to get in touch with her mother, who had gone to sleep. 

‘She explained her sister is autistic,’ the mother, who is a cancer survivor, told MailOnline. ‘She was scared to go in the police car to go home so my eldest offered to go with the police with her and got in the car with her sister.

The drunken teenager, who had been giggling in the police car, according to her mother, was then driven back to her home address by police where the drama continued. 

‘When I opened the door the police woman was holding my daughter’s arm,’ the mother said. 

‘I took her gently off the police officer who stood at the door and did not come in. As I was guiding my daughter upstairs she said “She is a lesbian like Nana”.

‘The next thing the police officer tried to grab my daughter who hid under the stairs because she was a really scared.

‘I put my leg on the wall in front of the officer and said “You are not going near her”. That’s when I started recording. 

The girl was dragged screaming from her home in Leeds, West Yorkshire, by a group of officers after a 'homophobic public order offence'

The girl was dragged screaming from her home in Leeds, West Yorkshire, by a group of officers after a ‘homophobic public order offence’

The female officer (pictured) insisted the girl would be arrested after she 'said she was a  lesbian like nana'

The female officer (pictured) insisted the girl would be arrested after she ‘said she was a  lesbian like nana’ 

‘She was clenching her fists and looking at her really angry. My daughter was under the stairs and was punching the wall and punching herself in frustration.

‘The police woman called for back up and seven officers ended up arresting her.’

The teenager, who is not being named, was held in custody for 20 hours after the incident about 1am on Monday and then released.

The mother continued: ‘Why was there that many police officers anyway. She was having a panic attack under the stairs and the officers said she was “putting it on”.

‘She was hyperventilating on the path and gagging. They were holding onto an arm like a rag doll and she was screaming.

‘When my daughter has had meltdowns in the past I have called the police for help. But they don’t help they just look for an excuse to arrest her.

‘My girl did not mean anything by the remark. Some of her best friends are gay. I told police my daughter had scoliosis and they were hurting her spine by yanking her arm.

‘She did not do nowt wrong. She was saying to the police officer she was sorry. The police woman said “I don’t care. You are getting arrested”.

The male officer said a homophobic comment had been made to his colleague

The male officer said a homophobic comment had been made to his colleague

The female officer at the centre of the row is pictured after the incident. Police say the girl who compared her to her 'lesbian nana' has been released on bail

The female officer at the centre of the row is pictured after the incident. Police say the girl who compared her to her ‘lesbian nana’ has been released on bail

‘So I put in an official complaint straight away. They did not have a warrant to enter my address when she came running into the house.

‘If my daughter did make a homophobic remark she should have spoken to her partner first before deciding what to do.

‘The police get away with stuff like this over and over again, not just my daughter, because they don’t understand autistic kids.

‘I don’t see how they can take offence from a comment like that. How is that a hate speech? She did not mean anything by it.

‘If my girl had done wrong I would have said “take her” But what that officer did was wrong. She went about it the wrong away.

‘They could have arranged for her to be taken down for a voluntary interview rather than surround her with half the police force.’

Footage of the incident prompted outrage online, with one social media user writing: ‘I cannot believe my own eyes. Someone in the police force needs to be sacked for this egregious, disgraceful situation.’

Another posted: ‘This is disgusting behaviour by [West] Yorkshire police. And how many officers needed to attend? No small wonder that girl was terrified.’

Andrew Piper added: ‘@West Yorks Police completely unacceptable from the officers in this video. When the officer was informed that the daughter had autism, the comment [from the officer] ‘I don’t care’ is completely inappropriate.’ 

The girl, who also has scoliosis, tumbled down as she was dragged by officers outside into a police car

The girl, who also has scoliosis, tumbled down as she was dragged by officers outside into a police car

A woman claiming to be the teenager’s aunt also lashed out at the police force, saying: ‘West Yorkshire Police have always been this way – bullies. That is what they are.’

In the video, the girl’s mother can he heard saying: ‘She’s made a comment in her own house, she hasn’t said anything to you.’

The mother repeats ‘she’s autistic’, to which the officer responds: ‘I don’t care.’

What is autism?

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate with the world. 

More than one in 100 people are on the autism spectrum and there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK. 

Autistic people often have difficulties with interpreting language, gestures or tone of voice. Some autistic people are unable to speak or have limited speech while others struggle with nuance and tend to interpret words very literally.

Some often have difficulty recognising or understanding others’ feelings and intentions – as well as expressing their own emotions

Others with the condition may experience over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light, colours, temperatures or pain. They may find certain background sounds like music in a restaurant, which other people ignore or block out, unbearably loud or distracting. This can cause anxiety or even physical pain.

SOURCE: National Autistic Society 

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The girl then makes some noises, which her mother explains was her punching herself in distress. 

The officers remain in the hallway as the mother shouts out: ‘You’re going to remove her for what, she said the word lesbian? Her nana is a lesbian, she’s married to a woman. She’s not homophobic.’

A male officer intervenes, saying a homophobic comment had been made to his colleague, a female officer with cropped blond hair. 

Eventually more officers arrive and the girl screams and wails as she is detained. 

West Yorkshire Police said a relative of the girl had earlier called to say she was intoxicated in Leeds city centre, after which they took her home. 

MailOnline has approached the force for comment about the mother’s claims.

Speaking previously, West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Oz Khan said: ‘We are aware of a video circulating on social media which, as is often the case, only provides a very limited snapshot of the circumstances of this incident.

‘Officers had their body-worn video cameras activated during their wider involvement with this young girl which provides additional context to their actions.

‘We have received a complaint in relation to this incident which is currently being assessed by West Yorkshire Professional Standards Directorate.

‘While that ongoing process and the active criminal investigation limit our ability to fully discuss the incident in detail, we feel it is important for people to have some context about the circumstances.

‘From 12.12am on Monday, August 7, police received calls from a family member of a 16-year-old girl who was reportedly intoxicated and putting herself at risk in Leeds city centre.

‘Officers attended at about 1am and drove the teenager to her home so she could be appropriately looked after.

‘Upon returning her to the address, comments were made which resulted in the girl being arrested on suspicion of a homophobic public order offence. The nature of the comments made was fully captured on body-worn video.

‘When the girl was eventually fit to be interviewed, that interview took place with an appropriate adult.

‘She was later released on bail pending further enquiries and advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.

‘West Yorkshire Police takes its responsibilities around the welfare of young people taken into custody and around neurodiversity very seriously.

‘We also maintain that our officers and staff should not have to face abuse while working to keep our communities safe.

‘We are fully reviewing the circumstances of this incident and ask that people avoid reaching any conclusions about it solely on the basis of the social media video.’

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