A man is demanding answers after sharing distressing footage of his elderly dad collapsing and suffering spasms as he’s arrested for failing to wear a face mask in public.
The stomach-churning incident was filmed on Monday morning in Brisbane’s Botanic Gardens after Queensland’s lockdown was extended to stem the spread of Covid in the community.
According to the man’s son, who shared the footage online, he suffers from a medical condition which causes him breathing difficulties and heart problems.
During the arrest, he fell to the floor and started to spasm, gasping for air and flailing as he tried to reach for his backpack – which contained his medication.
Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that an ambulance was called and paramedics ‘did not identify a medical issue’, but that he was taken to hospital as a precaution.
The distressing scenes were filmed by the man’s partner and left his son feeling rattled and helpless when he was eventually notified.
Video appears to show four police officers questioning the man as they arrest him and lead him away from the park for failing to answer their questions ‘reasonably’.
The woman repeatedly told officers that the man had an exemption and tried to provide personal details.
But an officer was recorded stating that he ‘was not confident [the man] would comply with directives’ if he were to remove the handcuffs.
According to the man’s son, he is required to carry medication with him at all times and had a legitimate medical exemption from wearing the face mask.
‘He was interrogated as to why he was there, what he was doing and why he wasn’t wearing a mask… he answered all of these questions,’ the man said.
As the man was led away from the park in handcuffs, the footage shows him dramatically dropping to the floor and beginning to spasm
As the man was led away from the park in handcuffs, the footage shows him dramatically dropping to the floor and beginning to spasm.
The officers immediately respond, trying to turn the man on his side as his partner screams for help, explaining that there is medication in a pocket of his bag.
‘Do you believe me now you pr***s?,’ she asked, before instructing an officer to make room so that she can administer the dose for him.
‘Here, let me do it darling… Absolutely disgraceful.’
An officer was filmed explaining that he was legally not allowed to administer the medication, while a female cop reassured the woman that an ambulance had been called.
The officers immediately respond, trying to turn the man on his side as his partner screams for help, explaining that there is medication in a pocket of his bag
When sharing the distressing footage, the man’s son said it ‘doesn’t make any sense’.
‘He did not do anything illegal, he did not retaliate in a violent manner. He was conducting himself peacefully and not looking for trouble.’
He has posed several questions to the officers who arrested his dad, wanting to know exactly what he did to wind up in handcuffs and under arrest.
‘This hurt me more than anything I’ve experienced… Seeing my father get arrested as he was having a seizure,’ he said.
The Brisbane-based bodybuilder said he ‘hadn’t cried for many years [but] balled [his] eyes out’ upon seeing the footage, knowing he ‘couldn’t do anything to protect my father’.
Queensland is in the midst of an unravelling Delta Covid variant outbreak, with 47 cases identified in just four days.
As a result, the Sunshine State is enduring a week-long snap lockdown in an attempt to keep cases at bay.
Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young has mandated that face masks be worn everywhere outside the home to minimise the risk of spreading or catching the virus.
An officer was filmed explaining that he was legally not allowed to administer the medication, while a female cop reassured the woman that an ambulance had been called
Police told Daily Mail Australia investigations are continuing.
‘On August 2, police patrolling in the Botanical Gardens arrested a man for failing to comply with directions under the Public Health Act 2005 (Qld),’ a spokesperson said.
‘During the arrest, the man appeared to collapse.
‘The Queensland Ambulance Service was requested, attended and did not identify a medical issue however the man was transported to hospital as a precaution.
‘As police had discontinued the arrest at that time, investigations are continuing into any possible offences committed on that day.’