Has nothing to do with race. My answer to this, which was yes, had to do with what I would have done in the same situation. I would absolutely take a swing at someone else that was acting that way, regardless of race. It is essentially a matter of self defense on both sides, and the way the law sits right now people don't really have a right to defend themselves against cops. As much as I hate that aspect of the law and would fight it in every way possible outside of physical violence myself, both sides here were equally at fault unless the jaywalking was real.
really? You'd be in the same situation as this jack boot? Take a swing at someone who was acting what way? Getting loud? Seems to me like the cop decided to get out at the wrong corner to harass a (man) sorry a teenager for WALKING and some others decided to voice their opinions about the ridiculousness of his "enforcement" actions. It is not self defense on the cops side because he is the one who got out of the car to approach the crowd.
The cop physically put himself in the middle of that crowd "putting his life on the line" to make sure a grown man (sorry again, a teenager and apparently now a group of teenagers) could make it safely across the street on their own. So what, now we pay crossing guards to assault people? Sounds pretty ridiculous no? Well apparently the crowd thought so, and VOICED their opinions. So instead of calling for back up or attempting to calm the situation what does he do? He further engages himself by attempting to effect an arrest on a teenage girl. He is obviously causing pain to the girl in the blue who is doing what everyone does when a cop puts you in a wrist lock and tried to relieve the pressure point of his martial arts tactic on her arm. Her friend very bravely decided to try separate the aggressor from the victim and rather than backing off, this cop decided to use escalated force to reassert himself as the man in charge by attacking yet another person.
The only good thing I can say about this cop is that at least he didn't pull his taser out an electrocute anyone. But, as many times as I have tried to have something good to say about a cop, it always seems to fail and I find some other piece of evidence provided by the cops that prove me guilty of having any hope that common sense is something that a cop takes to work with him along with his shiny badge and gun.
I find no fault in anyone who will defend themselves in this manner from cops. Sure experience teaches us to live to fight another day, and because of the effectiveness of this cop, many more will be frightened by their presence. But these are kids. Go into any crowd of kids and starting acting like a fucking prick and putting your hands on people and you'd probably get treated the same way, YELLED AT.
If you think you would have done the same thing in this situation, you might want go back and listen to the audio of this report without watching the incomplete video. These were a bunch of young kids this cop was harassing. Think through this situation for a minute before you say that you'd do the same thing, or that the cop was acting out of self-defense.
What gives you or anyone else the right to put your hands on someone who doesn't want to be touched by you or this cop? Nothing gives you that right nor the cop. Because it is not your right. This is something we all hopefully learned in grade school at the same time we were learning that cops are allowed to get away with enacting violence as a means of ensuring obedience.
Cops, you guys need to go back and relearn this lesson so the next time you won't be surprised and caught off guard when someone VERBALLY defends themselves and friends from idiot laws and then proceeds to rip you a new asshole for being the scum sucking gutter slut that you love to be.
No. The cop was never justified in putting his hands on anyone in this video or incident.