Police had pleaded with vigilante groups not to take matters into their own hands.
UPDATE 11/4/2020 8:00 AM
A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape.
Kadian Nelson was taken into custody after police urged him to hand himself in — for his own safety.
Vigilante groups had begun scouring the area looking for the suspect, prompting the Metropolitan Police to plead with the public not to take matters into their own hands.
A Section 60 Order for the area was authorized, granting officers additional stop and search powers out of fear of serious violence, Metro reported.
“I recognize that this is a shocking and distressing incident and emotions locally are running very high,” Detective Superintendent Owain Richards said.
“We are of course aware of videos and images circulating on social media, and of groups of people attending various addresses. I urge those people to go home. Do not try to take the law into your own hands or you may end up doing something you regret and potentially face police action yourself.”
ORIGINAL STORY 11/3/2020 9:36 AM
A chilling video circulating online shows the moment a terrified schoolgirl was rescued by a fearless witness.
The woman had witnessed the man snatch the girl in broad daylight on her way to school, and immediately rushed to her rescue.
The incredible video, shared by the rescuer’s sister, shows the woman filming with her cellphone as she makes her way along London’s rain-soaked streets towards a dark alley.
There she sees two figures — a man and a little girl — and roars “Let her go! What are you doing with her?”
“This is my sister, bruv, move,” he calls back. “Bruv, this is my family.”
He begins to walk away and the girl obediently goes with him, appearing to any other onlooker like they are siblings; but the woman knows what she saw, and presses after him.
“So what are you doing in the corner with her?” she asks, staying on his tail, and calling out to the girl: “Are you okay?”
The girl, being marched along by the man who has his arm around her shoulder, never makes a sound, but still the woman persists, finally catching up with them.
“Look, why are you f–kin stalking us bruv?” he says, again appearing like an irritated big brother — until he finally drops the charade and flees.
The seriousness of the situation immediately spills out as the terrified girl bursts into tears, barely decipherable as she desperately clutches her rescuer.