A HEADTEACHER has lodged an appeal after police rejected complaints that riot cops had beaten up and racially abused pupils

A HEADTEACHER has lodged an appeal after police rejected complaints that riot cops had beaten up and racially abused pupils.

Officers more used to dealing with football hooligans were called to Hampstead school in Westbere Road on November 26, 2006 when trouble flared outside the gates.

Officers from the Territorial Support Group (TSG) were accused by pupils and staff of being heavy handed and racist.

But headteacher Jacques Szemalikowski has been told an internal police investigation has concluded there is no meat to any of the school's complaints.

He has now lodged an appeal with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

He said: "We want to pursue the complaint because we don't agree with the outcome of the investigation. I want them to go over all the evidence again and consider all of it even if it takes time. I am concerned about the heavy-handedness of the whole operation and how appropriately they dealt with the students. Nothing in their report changes our view on that."

In November last year Roy Martin and his son Sashon Martin-Edwards, 16, were arrested in the melee, and later launched a private prosecution against officers.

They are claiming they were the victims of racial discrimination, assault, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

IPCC spokesman Richard Offer said: "When we get the papers from the Met police we will consider the appeal. We will examine all the evidence and then come to a decision as to whether the appeal should be upheld.