Camden: ‘Not your city’ busker told during violent confrontation caught on video - police slammed for inaction

A 35-year-old musician has alleged he was harassed and assaulted by another man in Camden on Saturday evening (September 9) - and that police refused to do anything other than give the man a ride home.

Rafael Martinelli, who lives in Brazil but is visiting the UK, said he was walking along Buck Street when he noticed an older man punching another person’s car.

He claims he was told by a group of people nearby that the man had attacked the vehicle after its driver had used a road largely closed for Camden Music Festival.

In footage taken by Mr Martinelli, the man can be heard demanding the driver’s licence, and appearing to lash out at the vehicle.

Mr Martinelli said that, following the initial incident, the man altercations with at least one other person, before turning his attention his way.

“I got myself trapped with him, so when I saw me in that situation, I started to leave the area but eventually when I got round the corner I didn’t notice but I got stuck between him and a bar,” Mr Martinelli said.

The footage appears to show the man following Mr Martinelli and repeatedly threatening him, saying “if one of us has a fight one of us is going to die, and it’s not going to be me”.

He is further heard telling Mr Martinelli London is “not your city”, among other things, before he seems to punch the musician, knocking him over a set of chairs outside a bar.

Mr Martinelli said he was told by staff working in the premises he could stay inside as he called the police.

When officers attended, Mr Martinelli said “nothing happened”.

“I told them everything and they said okay, we will send him home,” he said.

“That left me with a strange feeling that a guy can do all this and he gets a ride home. His punishment is a ride home.”

When LondonWorld put Mr Martinelli’s story to the Met Police, a spokesperson initially said officers attended and no offences were alleged, with no injuries.

Mr Martinelli contested this, saying he told police he wanted to press charges, but was told no offence had been committed.

“I said I want to press charges, but was told I couldn’t,” he said.

The police have since updated their original comment to note they have “been made aware that one of the people alleges that he was assaulted and are making efforts to contact him with a view to progressing any criminal allegations”.

Mr Martielli said while the incident was “ridiculous”, and at times felt like a “cartoon”, it made him feel like “garbage in that moment”.

“The worst part is feeling like the guy really ended up getting what he wanted,” he said, adding: “The feeling is humiliating. You feel like you are a piece of garbage.”

Having wanted to stay in London until the end of the month, he said he has now bought tickets to head home to Brazil, as he does not wish to stay in the city any longer.

A Met spokesperson said: “Police were called at approximately 8.45pm on Saturday, September 9 to reports of an altercation between two people in Buck Street, NW1.

“Officers attended and spoke to both parties; no offences were alleged and no one was injured. There were no arrests.

“Police have subsequently been made aware that one of the people alleges that he was assaulted and are making efforts to contact him with a view to progressing any criminal allegations.”