Watch: Fury at Met Police video of officers doing random drug swabs in street

Taskforce Officers were out recently doing drug swabs in Shoreditch as part of a wider operation to ensure the night time economy is a safe place for all pic.twitter.com/UtMbayPwpt

— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 2, 2022

Stabbings and assault are rife, but this is a priority?

Horribly invasive and illiberal too https://t.co/hu2znC9rt3

— Ben Kelly (@TheScepticIsle) January 3, 2022

This doesn't look very legal. If a police officer asks you to do a drug swab for no reason, just refuse. https://t.co/R3xgWlpTLB

— Max Daly (@Narcomania) January 2, 2022

So, you'll happily force innocent people to prove their innocence, but won't even investigate people that have been proven to be guilty? 🤔

— The Endless Death (@TheEndlessDeat1) January 2, 2022

Can you please provide the criteria your officers used to determine who to swab, the number of people swabbed and the number of positive results for each drug tested for? For avoidance of doubt, this is a Freedom of Information request

— Matt Eason (@matteason) January 2, 2022

Have you tried doing this in House of Commons?

— Kate Wilton (@KateWilton1) January 2, 2022

So it’s a campaign of unlawful harassment of young people set to a cheesy backbeat. While proof of criminality in high places is ignored.
We see you.

— Anselm (@ImpostorNemesis) January 2, 2022

Apart from whether this is even legal and the clear risks of disproportionality in application, how exactly does this pantomime reduce drug harm in the night time economy? https://t.co/ISkaLAzETr

— Caroline Russell (@CarolineRussell) January 3, 2022

I have a lot of questions.
– is this even legal?
– what are the grounds for swabbing people?
– how are people selected?
– what happens if someone tests positive but isn’t in possession?
– who thought it was a good idea to tweet this? https://t.co/VkyKbR6Obm

— Hannah Al-Othman (@HannahAlOthman) January 2, 2022

Bit weird, because if they had drugs already in their system it would be a historic crime and we know you don’t investigate those.

— Kim M-C (@KimM_C) January 2, 2022