A teenager was handcuffed outside the Victoria Centre for being "quite verbal" to police officers.
He was then taken home in the back of a van to have a chat with his "mummy and daddy" about his behaviour.
The incident happened just after 4pm on June 22 at the west entrance to the city centre shopping centre in Mansfield Road, at the junction with Shakespeare Street.
A number of officers were seen talking to a group of teenagers while one boy was handcuffed and taken to a van.
Sgt Iain Blackstock for Nottinghamshire Police said no arrests had been made.
He added: "There were some lads being quite verbal to police officers so he was taken home to have a chat in front of his mummy and daddy.
"There have been no arrests."
Travel companies tweeted about the incident telling people some disruption was possible.
The whole incident was captured on video by members of the public.
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