While browsing through my news feed this morning, I came across this video from RT entitled: RAW: Chaos erupts as NY police arrest African-American man. It’s a pretty interesting video from points that I’ll get in to in this article. However, aside from the reality of increased crime and heavy-handed policing, this video has a pretty humorous component to it.
In the video, about 5-6 cops are subduing a man on the ground. The man, identified by The Daily News as Alando Brissett, 25, reportedly got into an argument with an employee at the Target retail outlet in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn on Saturday night, when he demanded a receipt after returning bottles. Police were summoned when he refused to leave the store.
Things seem relatively calm until two cops start wailing punches on the man’s head (while on the ground subdued by the other 3-4 officers) in front of all the Target store customers. Apparently, they did not care that they were being watched.
What ensued after the officers’ unnecessary punches was complete pandemonium! Regular every day Soccer Moms, teenagers, Dads and everyone in between starts to get in front of the officers’ faces saying “You Can’t Punch him!” This is one of the most interesting parts of the video because it’s just every day shoppers that had no primary intention of protesting, rioting, or otherwise confronting police. This was a true “grass roots” movement of everyday people seeing brutality and reacting to it.
Then, out of now where, about 25 cops come in to the scene within seconds and quarantine the situational and push people out of the area! I couldn’t help but have a laugh at this part because it was amazing how many cops came out of no where all for the apprehension of one man. Not to make fun of police, but I imagined a little clown car off scene with a steady never-ending stream of policemen coming out of it!
Although I do not know if this man was combative to police or what amount of force was necessary, I wonder if one cop with a calm and affirmative attitude could have handled the situation single-handedly with some negotiation skills.
