Man makes citizen's arrest in London's Borough Market without even dropping his cigarette

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The moment a man made a citizen’s arrest in London’s Borough Market without even dropping his cigarette has been caught on camera.

A rather suave-looking salt-and-pepper-haired man is seen holding his detainee down on the pavement with his knees and one hand.

Dressed in jeans and a leather jacket, he takes a casual puff of his cigarette, looking into the distance.

Another man in a suit is also kneeling down beside him.

The photograph, which was taken by Nick MacMahon, received a lot of appreciation from Reddit users after it was posted on the site with the title, “A very British citizen’s arrest".

Many likened the unidentified man to a range of action movie stars, including Liam Neeson, Harrison Ford and Richard Gere.

One Reddit user wrote: “That guy could be doing this while eating a steak bake which he's spilled onto his shirt, and he'd still look cool.”

Another said: “It looks like the opening scene from a British cop film."

Explaining the context of the image, photographer Nick MacMahon said the man on the floor, who he claimed was drunk, had been “trying to start fights with people” when the two have-a-go heroes “floored him”.

Mr MacMahon, who had been having lunch at a Tapas restaurant in the area at around 2pm on Thursday, said the man on the ground had hassled him for money earlier that day.

“He was pretty drunk, walking around with a beer in hand,” he said. “Maybe 15 minutes later I see a couple men holding him to the ground outside the pub.”

“They let him go and tried to make him leave the market area but he kept hassling them, trying to start a fight. They were not in the mood and just wanted him gone.”

Eventually, they pinned him again, making a citizen’s arrest and “held him on the ground until the police came and took him away”, he said.

The police have been contacted for comment.