London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he is “disgusted and appalled” by the behavior of Metropolitan Police officers at Charing Cross police station, after a BBC Panorama undercover investigation revealed racist, misogynistic, and abusive conduct.

The programme, broadcast on Wednesday, captured serving officers calling for immigrants to be shot, dismissing rape allegations, and boasting about the use of force. Some officers were also heard making sexualized comments to colleagues and sharing offensive views about Muslims and immigrants.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the footage as “disturbing” and “sickening", while Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley apologized for the “reprehensible and completely unacceptable” behaviour.

Following the BBC’s findings, the Met reportedly suspended eight officers and one staff member, while two more officers were removed from front-line duties.

Families, campaigners respond

Mina Smallman, the mother of two sisters murdered in 2020, said she was unsurprised by the revelations. Two Met officers were jailed earlier this year for sharing photos of their daughters’ bodies on WhatsApp.

“When people are comfortable and their guard is down, we get to see what they’re really like,” Smallman told the BBC. She added that the Met’s culture would “take ages to root out.”

Khan condemned “sexism, racism, misogyny and the excessive use of force,” saying they had “no place in the police.” He said he had met with Rowley to discuss the scandal’s impact on public trust. “A series of urgent changes have been put in place at Charing Cross and across the Met, with more to follow,” he added.

Political pressure mounts

The Home Secretary welcomed an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into the allegations, stressing that police chiefs now have new powers to sack officers guilty of misconduct. “We expect them to be used,” Mahmood said.

Sir Mark Rowley promised swift action. “Where there is incontrovertible evidence, it is likely that accused officers will be dismissed within weeks,” he said. “Officers behaving in such appalling, criminal ways let down our communities … For that, I am truly sorry.”

The Liberal Democrats called the revelations “beyond appalling,” urging stronger government oversight. “The public is being failed, as are the majority of police officers doing their best,” said London spokesman Luke Taylor MP.

Police Federation, watchdog reactions

Paula Dodds, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, condemned discriminatory behaviour but stressed officers were entitled to due process. “If officers are proven guilty of criminal offences or serious gross misconduct, then we do not want these individuals in the job,” she said.

Rachel Watson of the IOPC said she was “appalled” and confirmed a full investigation was underway, urging the BBC to share its evidence to accelerate the process.

Zoe Billingham, former inspector of constabulary, warned the scandal was a major test for Rowley’s leadership: “The pace of change now needs to be demonstrated to Londoners if that precious bond of trust is to be restored.”

Former detective superintendent Shabnam Chaudhri said she was “shocked to the core” watching the programme. “My stomach turned over,” she told Newsnight. “I feel so ashamed that I was a police officer.”

Panorama’s undercover reporter, Rory Bibb, worked for seven months as a designated detention officer at Charing Cross. The station had already been investigated by the IOPC in 2020, when officers were found to have shared rape jokes and discriminatory messages in private chats.

Despite the Met’s previous pledge to root out rogue officers, whistleblowers told Panorama that individuals with racist and misogynistic views remain in post.