A newly formed pressure group, Protest Transphobia, is to hold a peaceful protest against police transphobia, outside a London police station tomorrow.

The protest follows a incident revealed by Gay Star News, where Jose Dos Santos, a 49 year-old, transgender woman was allegedly mocked and handled with excessive force by the Metropolitan Police in Soho, the gay center of the UK capital, last week.

Johnson, who was a witness to the attack and prefers to be identified only by his surname, reported to Gay Star News: ‘The victim then had her wig ripped from her head, her handbag and purse literally emptied out on the road, so her personal belongings were damaged and scattered around her.

‘Meanwhile police officers mocked her for her dress and having feminine items in her handbag shouting at her: "You’re not normal! We’ll let you get up in a few minutes but you need to act like a normal human being".’

He also claimed police used excessive force in restraining her.

Protest Transphobia member and co-organizer Fathias Yanez commented: ‘The attack on Ms Santos fills me with despair. Why is transphobia still acceptable? Will we ever be treated as humans and be safe? We are resisting transphobia!’

Although this protest will target the police station and officers directly involved in last week’s incident, the group aims to raise national awareness of the transphobia which they say is rife throughout UK police forces.

London’s LGBT community safety charity, Galop, has been collecting statistics on the number of reported transphobic hate crimes. In 2010 there were 82 transphobic hate crimes reported to the Metropolitan Police. In 2011 the number reported had dropped to 74.

Nick Antjoule, casework and development officer at Galop, commented that although current figures show a 10% reduction in reported incidents between 2010 and 2011 he believes this masks the real issue as transphobic hate crime is under reported.

Writer and sexual rights activist, Jane Fae added her support to the protest. She told Gay Star News: ‘I have no doubt that the police, as a whole, are doing their best to provide a service that respects diversity.

‘However, as someone who writes regularly about policing, I have reported too many incidents where police failure to understand or respect trans sensibilities has resulted in the humiliation or abuse of those on the receiving end. Mostly, I don’t think this is deliberate.

‘Protests of this kind are nonetheless helpful, as they keep up the pressure for change.’

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘In relation to the incident in Soho on 20 February, we have met Protest Transphobia, key members of the LGB&T community and members of the Metorpolitan Police Service Trangender Staff Support associations and we fully acknowledge community concern.

‘We will always aim to resolve such matters as swiftly as possible and appeal for calm while court proceedings and independent investigations are ongoing.

‘Westminster and the MPS as a whole, are committed to working with the transgender community and will continue to engage throughout the investigation period.’

The anti transphobia demonstration will take place on 2 March from 2pm to 4pm, in front of the Charing Cross Police Station, on Agar Street, London, WC2N 4JP.