Bizarre arrest in Salford, in the Manchester metropolitan area, England. The images released by Greater Manchester Police quickly made the rounds on the web. The protagonist is Simon Harris, 37 years old, homeless, wanted as the recipient of an arrest warrant.
The operation began on Thursday 13 August in the Salford area. When the officers intervened, the 37-year-old took refuge on the top of a house and from that moment a long standoff with the police began.
Police and emergency services remained on site for two days in an attempt to bring the matter to a close without more serious consequences. The operation also involved the men of the Tactical aid unit, the Greater Manchester Police unit used in the most complex and risky interventions. During the standoff, some homes were damaged and two officers suffered minor injuries. In the end, what resolved the situation was not negotiations but tiredness.
Footage released by police shows the 37-year-old lying and sleeping on the roof of a porch at the back of the house. The officers move slowly so as not to wake him. They place a ladder on the structure and one of the policemen climbs up to reach it. The officer grabs Harris while he is still sleeping.
The man wakes up with a start and tries to free himself. A brief scuffle ensues on the ladder: as he is dragged down, his trousers also slip. Once he arrives in the garden, several officers in protective gear immobilize him and put handcuffs on him.
The almost comical scene, however, hides an operation which, according to the police themselves, involved risks and a considerable use of men and equipment. On Monday 17 August, Greater Manchester Police announced the formal charges against him: four counts of criminal damage, two of assault on an emergency services operator, causing a public nuisance, residential burglary and theft.