Reece Richards: Sex Education actor ‘still in shock’ after ‘unlawful arrest’ by police

In a recent Instagram post, Reece Richards thanked his fans for their support, saying, "I guess I’m still in shock and I don’t know how to navigate the situation, but first and foremost I just wanted to say thank you to everyone." He added: "I wasn’t expecting this much support, I’m just in shock about the whole thing."

The incident occurred earlier this month in Fulham, west London, after Richards had finished performing in ‘Hairspray The Musical’. Richards claims he was mistakenly identified as a suspect and was forcibly detained by police, despite not fitting the description of the actual suspects. In a previous video, he explained that after witnessing a car crash, he pointed officers in the direction of the fleeing suspects, only to be told he was under arrest.

Richards described the incident, saying: "Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but one officer yelled, ‘Get to the floor or I’ll pepper spray you’. Moments later, three more officers ran at me. They pepper sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground and handcuffed me."

He further explained that officers forced him to the ground, exacerbating injuries he had sustained during the show. "In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground," he said.

Richards claims the officers reviewed their bodycam footage and subsequently released him. The arrest occurred on September 4, between 12.38am and 2.30am. A video shared by Richards and Brenda Edwards, director of ‘Hairspray The Musical’, shows police officers holding an individual to the ground.

Edwards, also known for her role on ‘Loose Women’, alleged in a social media post that Richards was "racially profiled and violated". Richards has since filed a complaint with the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), who confirmed they received it and are determining if further action is necessary.

The actor continues to process the event and told his followers: "Sorry I haven’t said anything or got back to anyone, I’m still trying to figure this out, it’s just weird."