In the aftermath of the State v. Chauvin trial, many have taken to social media to express a sense of relief that Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter. While Chauvin was punished for murdering George Floyd last May, many Black Americans still face violence at the hands of police. In Ohio, Ma'Khia Bryant was killed by the police at the age of 15 years old. Elsewhere, police officers in Perth Amboy, New Jersey were tailing a group of teenage bike riders.
Released on Tuesday, a 17-minute-video shows a group of teens riding bicycles through the streets of the northern New Jersey town as they popped wheelies and laughed. During their ride, the group of four splits apart and one rider is stopped by a local police officer. The officer can be heard telling the teenager not to ride against traffic and to get a license before riding his bicycle through town. It also appears that the officer told the teens that their bikes would not be confiscated
There is a short cut in the video before it continues. At this juncture, the group of teenagers is surrounded by a group of officers as their bikes are indeed confiscated. Adding to the chaotic scene, officers also handcuffed one Black teen on camera.
Perth Amboy Police Department has not issued a comment, but Perth Amboy City Council President William A. Petrick said the officers "did the right thing."
"What happens is they do create a dangerous situation that could end up with one of them getting injured or killed, and then it's not their fault, it's the operator of a motor vehicle's fault," Petrick said about the teens riding against traffic.
As the video made its way around social media, a number of people felt that the officers did not do the right thing.
"The lengths cops and cities go to in order to come up with reasons to harass black people," author Saeed Jones tweeted.
"Are the police really arresting kids over bike registrations? Does it really require this many officers to address whatever situation this is? Police cannot continue to be our response to everything," ACLU New Jersey Executive Director Amol Sinha added.
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