Gold Coast police officer draws taser on tattooed tourist

A Melbourne couple say they were threatened with a taser, strip searched, and told to delete footage of the encounter from their phone after being stopped by Queensland Police officers moments after they left the Gold Coast airport.

Preschool teacher Hayley Van Hostauyen posted video of the encounter after she and her partner were pulled over in a video which has since skyrocketed to over one million views.

Police will tell their side of the story in tonight's news bulletin at 4pm.

"Just drove out of Gold Coast airport, I have no club gear on at all they simply seen me and my partner Hayley at a red light noticed a 13 tattooed on my neck and pulled us over made us get out of car,” Ms Van Hostauyuen’s partner says in the post.

“I was strip searched on the side of a major freeway by four officers and told to get on the ground."

During the short video, one of the officers explains to the couple that Queensland police have the power to search anyone suspected of being members of an outlaw motorcycle gang under VLAD laws.

"We have legislation down here, if we identify a potential member of a criminal motorcycle gang we have the power to stop, detain and search you," the officer says.

After the man asks whether or not his neck tattoos were the sole reason for a search being conducted, the officer replies: "Yep, absolutely".

When Ms Van Hostauyen’s boyfriend refuses a Queensland Police officer's request to stop filming and hand over the phone filming the ordeal, the female officer draws her taser.

The video suddenly stops.

“Pfft (sic) what a joke welcome to QLD … as soon as we got pulled over I started recording because I have been advised to from a lawyer in case something like this may happen," the Facebook post continued.

“The other female officer tells me I can’t film, grabs me on the throat then pulls a taser on me.

She said she was then told by one of the female officers "we will make a deal with you! You delete that footage or else we will confiscate yours and your girlfriends phone for 28days so I unlocked my phone and the female officer in charge deleted the footage!"

“Well lucky my phone saves deleted photos and video, so everyone feel free to share,” the post continues.

Queensland police have confirmed the matter is under review but declined to make any further comment.

Ms Van Hostauyen’s viral post indicates he couple were released without charge as part of 'a deal' to delete the video.

“What a great start to our holiday. What a joke.”