For a week, Seth Meyers turned the start of his show over to Amber Ruffin, who shares some of her encounters with the police.
Chris Hayes: Police Solidarity Reminds him of the Catholic Church
Chris Hayes on video of Buffalo police pushing elderly protester: “In just those 15 seconds, that scene is an entire syllabus on how the culture of policing is broken. What has happened to it, and how it operates, and how it has essentially created a whole that is worse than the sum of its parts.” Aired on 6/5/2020.
Police Board president files complaint after being struck by CPD during weekend protests
“I, indeed, was one of several individuals physically hit and struck by Chicago police on Sunday as they clashed with protestors,” Board president Ghian Foreman said in a statement issued Friday afternoon.
The president of the Chicago Police Board — the mayorally appointed body that metes out discipline for Chicago Police officers — said Friday that he was struck by an officer during last weekend’s protests in Kenwood.
“I, indeed, was one of several individuals physically hit and struck by Chicago police on Sunday as they clashed with protestors,” Board president Ghian Foreman said in a statement issued Friday afternoon. “I was not participating in the protest, but coincidentally encountered the demonstration at a moment when it became confrontational.”
In the statement, Foreman declined to provide specifics on what happened, but a source with knowledge of the incident said Foreman was struck in the legs with a baton about five times.
Foreman said he didn’t want the incident to distract from police reform efforts and said it is “more important to focus on how it could have been avoided and how aggressive police confrontations can be avoided moving forward.”
He noted the irony of the situation considering his position: “This is the duality I live with as a Black man in America, even one who is privileged to be part of systems of power. I am not exempt from what any other Black man faces on the streets.”
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability has opened an investigation.
“As with every investigation, it will be thorough, it will be integrity-based, it will be unbiased,” said COPA spokesman Ephraim Eaddy.
The incident involving Foreman happened just hours after he praised Chicago Police officers for their professionalism.
“I would not have had the same restraint that many of your officers showed last night,” Foreman said last Sunday.
Later, in an interview with Fox-32 News, he explained how a heated situation unfolded that led to him being struck with a police club.
“The situation was commotion,” he told Fox. “I don’t necessarily blame that police officer. I don’t necessarily blame the community. I was trying to keep the police cool, I was trying to keep the community cool. I didn’t see a point in throwing bottles at police. So I’m trying to calm the community down. You know I saw of some of the young protesters getting in the middle and I didn’t want them to be hurt.”
He added: “I understand what the community is saying, and at the same time I understand the police. This is a hard situation. This is a situation Chicago needs to understand.”
In the last week, COPA has received 344 complaints of alleged police misconduct, Eaddy said.
Ticketed Motorist Pointing Finger Just The Green Light Cop Needed (The Onion)
Recalling the provocation that came midway through a routine traffic stop, Danville police officer Dylan Hayden told reporters Thursday that driver Donald Watkins’ decision to frustratedly point his finger at him was just the green light he needed. “Legally, I’m not allowed to touch the motorist after pulling him over, but when he extended his index finger directly toward me, I knew that gave me the go-ahead right there to take whatever action I deemed necessary,” said Hayden, adding that as soon as he noticed the conceivably threatening hand gesture, he had full authority to skip right ahead to exerting force. “Frankly, I probably would’ve had the okay to rock and roll after he cursed under his breath, but I wanted to be absolutely certain that I was in the clear. Once he pointed his finger at my chest from inside his vehicle, I knew I’d be covered no matter what happened next. He really left the door wide open for me with that one.” Hayden expressed confidence that there was probably someone wanted for robbery who looks similar enough to Watkins to legally justify pulling him over in the first place.