Terrifying footage shows the moment a man armed with a meat cleaver was crash-tackled to the ground by a police officer at one of Australia’s busiest train stations.
The man was seen brandishing the dangerous weapon in front of stunned commuters at Parramatta Station in western Sydney at about 12.45pm on Thursday.
Footage obtained by 7News showed the man, dressed in a tracksuit, striding through the crowded station as wary commuters watched on in shock.
A courageous female officer stepped forward to confront him and shouted: ‘Put it down!’ as the man turned toward her, waving the cleaver.
As he did so, another officer rushed in from behind and tackled the man to the ground.
The weapon was quickly seized and pinned under an officer’s boot.
The female officer questioned the man: ‘What were you planning?’
The man, now handcuffed, replied: ‘What do you mean?’
A man wielding a meat cleaver in front of stunned commuters was crash-tackled by police
Footage obtained by 7News showed the man striding through the crowded Parramatta station, meat cleaver in hand, as bystanders watched on in shock
‘With the knife,’ she said.
‘F***ing no plan,’ the man with the meat cleaver said.
The officer then ridiculed him: ‘No plan? Just carrying a knife through the middle of Parramatta?’.
The man was taken to Parramatta Police Station, where he was charged with carrying a knife visible in a public place – causing fear for safety, and hindering or resisting police officers in the execution of duty.
He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Friday.
