Woolwich: A Monday of Arrests At The Town Centre

by Benson Agoha

A woman was arrested and forcefully taken to the Oxleas Mental Health Hospital on Monday after officers found her behaviour abnormal.

The woman, who said she was a Christian, told the Police she had been made homeless and her two daughters taken from her by Social Services officers, after they suspected her of being mentally ill. But she said she was normal.

For hours on end, the two officers tried in vain to persuade her to go to Oxleas by herself and get assessed.  She insisted nothing was wrong with her and that she was only showing the Council Officer `what the Word of God says”. Officers said she should prove it by walking to Oxleas herself.

She cried and insisted she wanted her girls by her side. She loves them and they love her too, she told the police officers.  ‘We never doubted you’, they replied.  Then the circle is repeated.

The haggling went on and on, till the officers called an ambulance, she was placed in handcuffs and driven to Oxleas, where she would be sectioned.

In separate incident on Powis Street, two men and a woman were arrested for disorderly behaviour after they were involved in an open brawl in front of a phone shop.

The three had been disturbing public peace during an open argument that became a fight.  The Police were called in and all three were placed in hand-cuffs later and taken away.

Staff at the `Three Store’ said they trio were never inside the shop and they were not sure of what happened.

Minutes later, another open confrontation in front of a clothing shop, brought the police round again.  This time, it was some girl shoppers quarrelling.  And as police listened to rising voices, shopping bags were lying on the floor.

Almost simultaneously, a young man dropped his personal effects and found himself a `bed’ in the open.  Worried town centre wardens offered help and tried in vain to get him off the open floor.

But although he looked drowsy, he insisted he was ok and wanted to be left alone.