20/01/2017

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:00:09. > :00:16.An investigation's been launched after an Avon and Somerset police

:00:17. > :00:18.officer tasered one of the force's former race relations

:00:19. > :00:23.It was filmed by a neighbour, in what appears to be a case

:00:24. > :00:40.Last Saturday in Easton and two police officers confront a man.

:00:41. > :00:42.They think, mistakenly, that he's someone they want for questioning.

:00:43. > :00:44.One officer's holding a yellow taser weapon.

:00:45. > :00:50.But the man refuses to identify himself.

:00:51. > :01:18.Ras Adunbi says after the taser incident he was taken to hospital,

:01:19. > :01:21.then to a police cell in Patchway before being

:01:22. > :01:24.As a former chairman of the Independent Advisory

:01:25. > :01:26.Group on race relations he's furious and thinks that police officers have

:01:27. > :01:33.When they took over they liked to impose their own rules.

:01:34. > :01:41.Neighbours we spoke to also think the use

:01:42. > :01:54.From my experience of police in this area, it's been OK

:01:55. > :01:55.but I just think it is totally unacceptable.

:01:56. > :01:58.Those from black and minority ethnic groups are three

:01:59. > :02:00.times more likely to be tasered by police in the UK.

:02:01. > :02:03.Such discharges don't have to be refered to the The Independent

:02:04. > :02:19.Avon and Somerset Police saying in a statement....

:02:20. > :02:24.Bristol's main anti-racism charity is also investigating,

:02:25. > :02:26.worried the tasering of such a well known person

:02:27. > :02:35.Young people who have had issues with the police will look

:02:36. > :02:40.at this and say, this is what I have been telling you.

:02:41. > :02:43.This is what can happen just because of the colour of my

:02:44. > :02:46.Ras Adunbi says he was mistaken for the same

:02:47. > :02:50.Back then receiving compensation for an injured shoulder.

:02:51. > :02:57.He said that's why he didn't identify himself this time.

:02:58. > :03:01.Well, earlier I spoke to Ruth Pickersgill -

:03:02. > :03:04.a councillor for Easton in Bristol where this all happened.

:03:05. > :03:06.I asked her if tensions had become raised in the community

:03:07. > :03:14.Well, to be honest, everybody is horrified because everybody knows

:03:15. > :03:16.Ras Adunbi as a respected member of the community.

:03:17. > :03:19.He is very well-known locally and it is not something we

:03:20. > :03:21.expect to see on our streets in broad daylight,

:03:22. > :03:29.We have seen the footage now most of us on the television and I have

:03:30. > :03:34.The main thing for us is, there needs to be

:03:35. > :03:36.a verythorough investigation and it needs to be transparent.

:03:37. > :03:39.People need to be accountable for what happened.

:03:40. > :03:48.The police did not have two review this.

:03:49. > :03:53.I think it is right and proper and I'm pleased they are.

:03:54. > :03:56.Is there a feeling in Easton that the police can be racist?

:03:57. > :04:01.I think that is a really completed question.

:04:02. > :04:07.I think on the whole we work really in Easton and Easton is known

:04:08. > :04:09.for its good community relations and people get

:04:10. > :04:13.The police are very often part of those good community relations.

:04:14. > :04:15.I think in any big institution we always

:04:16. > :04:16.have to keep reviewing whether

:04:17. > :04:18.there is any unconscious bias or anything is going

:04:19. > :04:22.I would say that relations are good in Easton on a whole,

:04:23. > :04:28.The sort of incident can put back race relations for years if it does

:04:29. > :04:31.Do you feel like it's time to look at an

:04:32. > :04:35.I think it needs to be only used when it is

:04:36. > :04:41.I am about the same age and if I had been coming out of my house

:04:42. > :04:44.and I had refused to give my name, I doubt I would have been tasered.

:04:45. > :04:48.There's something about the use of the taser but something about

:04:49. > :04:54.proportionate responses to particular situations.

:04:55. > :05:02.In other news - there have been demonstrations in the West today

:05:03. > :05:04.as Donald Trump became the new American president.

:05:05. > :05:06.Around 300 people turned out in the centre

:05:07. > :05:08.of Bristol this evening to show their disapproval.

:05:09. > :05:09.They're concerned about President Trump's views

:05:10. > :05:13.including his stance on the environment.

:05:14. > :05:15.Princess Anne has officially opened a new building in south

:05:16. > :05:19.Gloucestershire for patients recovering from brain injuries.

:05:20. > :05:22.The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit at Frenchay

:05:23. > :05:25.needed to expand because more people are now surviving serious

:05:26. > :05:36.It has now almost doubled in size to 52 beds.

:05:37. > :05:38.Now the crowds have been flocking to Bristol's Colston Hall tonight

:05:39. > :05:42.for Gala Night at the Slapstick Festival!

:05:43. > :05:46.The five day event celebrates silent, visual and classic comedy -

:05:47. > :05:49.and is now in its 13th year as audience numbers

:05:50. > :05:54.A host of comedy stars have been busy helping to share the magic.

:05:55. > :06:02.We have got a screening of the Freshman, Harold Lloyd.

:06:03. > :06:04.Back in 1925, people who know their silent movies

:06:05. > :06:08.will know he is one of the big heroes along with Buster Keaton

:06:09. > :06:11.Some people might have not seen a silent

:06:12. > :06:14.With an orchestra it will be a very, very special atmosphere.

:06:15. > :06:23.I'm hosting something but I don't know anything about it.

:06:24. > :06:28.If you are interested, the festival is an all weekend. I will wish you a

:06:29. > :07:35.good night. We are feel cooler. Can we keep it going

:07:36. > :07:38.until the start of the new week? I suspect we can. Unconfirmed about --

:07:39. > :07:45.concerned about the fog around. Here is Helen with the national picture.

:07:46. > :07:51.Good evening. The weather is upon us. The cloud has made all the

:07:52. > :07:55.difference this week in particular. We have had some wonderful weather

:07:56. > :07:59.watcher pictures, this is Marlowe in Buckinghamshire, this was Conwy

:08:00. > :08:02.earlier in the day. Some areas still have the cloud. What a difference

:08:03. > :08:04.that