Woman arrested and fined for feeding pigeons
Footage posted on social media shows a woman being handcuffed on a street in Harrow by a group of police officers and council enforcement workers on Wednesday.
A passerby can be heard calling the scene "ridiculous" and one of the enforcement officers told the man filming that "she chose not to comply".
The woman is visibly distressed as officers search her pockets before putting her in the back of a police van.
Harrow Council said that she was breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) relating to bird feeding.
She had "refused to stop feeding the pigeons when asked to do so" and also wouldn't provide her details, which is an offence.
The Metropolitan Police said that she was "repeatedly" asked for her details so that a fixed penalty notice of ?100 could be issued.
She refused to do so and was arrested on suspicion of breaching Section 50 of the Police Reform Act.
She was later de-arrested after providing her details.
A Harrow Council spokesperson said: "There was a breach of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) relating to bird feeding.
"The individual refused to provide their details, which is an offence, and also refused to stop feeding pigeons when asked to do so.
"Our PSPO is in place to help keep our streets clean and safe for everyone, and anyone found breaching these faces a ?100 fixed penalty notice."
A Met spokesperson said: "At around 14:30hrs on Wednesday, 7 January officers were approached by local council enforcement officers dealing with an anti-social behaviour incident on Wealdstone High Street, Harrow.
"A woman, in her 40s, was repeatedly asked to provide her name and address so that a fixed penalty notice could be issued.
"After speaking with officers for around 20 minutes, she repeatedly refused to provide her personal details.
She was arrested on suspicion of breaching Section 50 of the Police Reform Act, which requires people to provide their name and address when requested to do so by the police.
"Her details were later obtained, and she was de-arrested and dealt with by council officers."