***Links to videos below***

The Metropolitan Police are attempting to justify the barbaric killing of two dogs in Tower Hamlets, London, on the afternoon of Sunday 7th May, 2023.

In a statement, the Met Police claim the "aggressive behaviour of two dogs was of considerable concern and posed a significant threat to them". And yet, concrete video evidence all over social media shows these dogs to be under control and on leads with their owner. Yes, these dogs are barking and reacting to the police, but any normal dog would do the same when being approached by multiple armed, vocal people in uniform, surrounding them in such a threatening manner.

They continue to claim in their statement that these dogs were "dangerously out of control" and, yet again, video evidence shows this not to be the case. The dogs even immediately calm down when their owner asks them to.

So why, then, is it acceptable for the police to not only taser their owner, but SHOOT AND KILL BOTH DOGS AT CLOSE RANGE?! One of which seemingly doesn't die straight away, either, and is left to suffer on the canal path while shocked onlookers are left screaming.

And why, too, does one police officer, who has one of the dogs secure in a catch pole, then choose to release that dog and let it run back to its owner, only to be shot as it runs away?

***VIEWER DISCRETION***

First dog

Second dog

Key points:

• Both dogs are leashed and under control.
• Neither dog is "dangerously out of control".
• Neither dog "posed significant threat".
• There is no solid evidence of what these dogs have been accused of doing - the police had no right to take matters into their own, violent hands without a proper and thorough investigation.
• If need be, these dogs could have been sedated/humanely seized and the relevant authorities could have properly looked into the situation.
• Both dogs were acting in a perfectly acceptable way for the situation, barking at a very real and frightening threat - seven armed, vocal and menacing people advancing towards them.
• The first dog is needlessly shot and doesn't die straight away.
• The second dog is in an understandable state of panic, STILL posing no threat and trying to escape the situation.
• One officer restrains the second dog using a catch pole and for some reason chooses to needlessly RELEASE the panicked dog, as if to try and provoke a negative reaction.
• The terrified dog chooses to RUN AWAY, back to its owner and another officer PURSUES the dog and brutally shoots the dog, from behind, at close range, while it's trying to get away.
• Officers then pat each other on the back and one is seen quickly pulling his mask up over his face, after realising they are being filmed.

The owner was clearly very distressed and adding to the upset of his dogs. But, regardless of his actions, this is about the dogs and the fact that they were inhumanely and unnecessarily slaughtered in broad daylight.

This is easily one of the most disgusting, abhorrent and totally unjustifiable videos I have ever seen and, once again, the Met Police need to be held criminally accountable for their unlawful actions and their unacceptable abuse of power.