The sister of a former Co Armagh special school pupil has hit out after police physically carried the “severely autistic” teenager by her hands and feet from a shop over an incident involving a £2 DVD.
Eileen Mitchell’s video of the incident, which happened in Lisburn, has gone viral in a few short hours.
She recorded the footage as sister Katie (19) – who is non-verbal and attended Ceara Special School in Lurgan up until June – was removed from the CEX buy and sell entertainment outlet in Lisburn.
Eileen alleged that shop staff asked her mother if “she had a lead” to take the young girl from the premises after she unable to buy a DVD she wanted.
She took to social media to hit out at how the incident was handled.
Eileen wrote: “I’ve decided to share this video to raise awareness about an incident that happened in Lisburn involving my younger sister, Katie, who is severely autistic. Katie doesn’t speak and has the mindset of a young toddler. Just before Christmas, she went into a second-hand DVD store with my parents and spotted a Thomas the Tank Engine DVD she wanted from Santa. It cost just £2.
“However, when she went to the counter, the cashier informed them that the till had already been closed for the day.
“Katie didn’t understand this and became very upset, crying in the shop. My mum tried to explain the situation to the staff and pleaded with them to take the £2 and scan it the next day, as Katie didn’t comprehend why she couldn’t have the DVD.
“Unfortunately, things escalated. A staff member asked my mum if she had a lead to remove Katie, to which my mum firmly replied, ‘She’s not a dog; she’s autistic’. Despite this, the police were called.
“My mum again tried to explain to the officers that Katie didn’t understand what was happening and asked if they could let her pay for the DVD to calm Katie down.
“Instead, five officers forcibly removed Katie from the shop. My dad, fearing she might be injured, tried to intervene when one officer began twisting her arms. I came home to find my parents and Katie deeply distressed and in tears over the incident.
“When we followed up with the police, they placed the blame on Katie, dismissing her vulnerability as an autistic person.
“This video shows just how urgently we need greater awareness and understanding of autistic and vulnerable individuals, especially in places like Lisburn. Incidents like this shouldn’t happen. We need more compassion, better training for staff and authorities, and systems in place to protect those who can’t advocate for themselves.”
Eileen acknowledged everyone for sharing the footage as she concluded: “Thank you for taking the time to watch and listen. Please share to help spread awareness and advocate for those who need our support.”
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police were called to assist in a shop in the Bow Street area of Lisburn at 6.15pm last Sunday, December 22. Officers attended and removed a 19-year-old female from the shop.”
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