A police officer was captured on video shoving a homeless man during a heated confrontation on High Street in Penrith, western Sydney, last Tuesday afternoon. The footage shows two officers approaching the man, who was holding a can of Coca-Cola and a takeaway box. When the man told one officer to "get off my foot," the officer responded with expletives and pushed him, causing him to lose his balance and drop his belongings.
A female colleague of the officer then told the man to "get your things and leave now." The man, who had a trolley with his possessions including groceries, replied, "Move out of the f***ing way," before the officer said, "Away you go." The man backed against the door of a medical center as the officer demanded his name.
The video of the exchange was shared online, drawing criticism from social media users who called the officer's actions "very unprofessional." One commenter suggested the footage should be formally submitted to police command.
A spokesperson for NSW Police confirmed they were aware of the incident. The officers involved were reportedly on High Street for an unrelated matter when they observed the man allegedly behaving aggressively toward members of the public, and a business owner had asked the man to leave. Police stated the 47-year-old man was issued a move-on direction, which he initially failed to comply with. Following further interaction, the man complied, and no further police action was taken. The spokesperson added that the footage had been reviewed by the Commander.
Federal Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh, stated on Sunday that she would advocate for the matter to be reviewed. She acknowledged receiving concerns from constituents regarding the incident and promised to provide updates. McIntosh also commented on the broader issue of homelessness, stating, "there are too many people experiencing homelessness and doing it tough across our community."