Police officer punched in face during routine questioning
A man was filmed allegedly punching a police officer in a full-blown assault captured on camera during a routine traffic stop in Western Sydney.
The hit occurred as Emad Khassem was being arrested at Merrylands before he fled.
The law eventually caught up with 32-year-old, but not without a struggle.
In the video he repeatedly ignores instructions from a police inspector to get on the ground.
The officer then appears to pepper spray him in the face.
The incident is an all-too common occurrence for police on the beat, according to former detective Tim Priest.
"Typical these days of what police are confronted with, there's just absolutely no respect for authority anymore," Mr Priest told 7 News.
Mr Khassem was charged with resist arrest and assaulting police although it's not clear what led to him apparently being pepper-sprayed.
NSW Council of Civil Liberties Stephen Blanks said the officer's actions would be examined.
"It's clearly something which is going to have to examined in its whole context when the matter goes to court," he said.
Witnesses say prior to the alleged punch, police were speaking with Mr Khassem for 30 minutes.
The situation slowly escalated to the point where he lashed out before he ran off down this footpath across the road into the Merrylands shopping centre, where he attempted to hide out in the back room of a hair salon.
Security guards kept watch as police sprinted to the salon, where they arrested him, finally leading him away in front of bemused customers.
Mr Khassem was released on bail is due to appear in court on Wednesday.
