A hostile crowd formed as police arrested a man in Walthamstow on Friday afternoon.

Police were undertaking an operation to tackle people uninsured drivers in in Hoe Street and Greenleaf Road on June 12.

Officers, who had already seized two moped from uninsured drivers, stopped a third who refused to get off his moped.

When the man was arrested a large 'hostile crowd' gathered.

The man was de-arrested after being driven out of the area – released before being processed at a police station.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "On Friday, 12 June, in Greenleaf Road, E17, police were conducting a proactive operation to tackle people driving without insurance in the area.

"This operation came after local residents made numerous reports about the issue to their local Safer Neighbourhood Team.

"Officers had stopped two males driving mopeds without insurance and seized their vehicles. When they stopped a third male for driving a moped without insurance he refused to get off his moped. "He was arrested for breach of the peace and detained. Officers seized the moped.

"During the arrest, residents came out into the street and a crowd formed. Some of the crowd became hostile towards police.

"Officers left the scene and the crowd dispersed shortly afterwards.

"The man detained for breach of the peace was driven out of the area and de-arrested shortly after."