Photo: Getty Images
D.C. Metro Police has responded to allegations that officers conducted an invasive search, "humiliating" a Black teen during an arrest.
On Saturday (Apri 27), X user Chuck Modi shared a video of the alleged arrest of a Black teen who was biking through a protest outside of the Washington Hilton, where the White House Correspondents Dinner was held. The protest was among several that have broken out across the county in response to the Biden administration's stance on the Israel-Hamas war.
Video appears to show police pointing a flashlight at the Black teen's rear as his pants are pulled down and his hands handcuffed.
"This is racist & humiliating," Modi said on X, formerly Twitter. "Police pull down his pants past his a** to stick a flashlight down there. Only one arrested among 1000 is a young Black kid. Looked 15. Not a protester. His father came. He was in tears from his experience. No crime. Just trauma. More details coming."
The Metropolitan Police Department told the Atlanta Black Star that officers stopped the boy from riding through the protest because it was dangerous. The teen wasn't charged, according to police.
“Officers stopped a juvenile male for attempting to ride a bike through a demonstration. The juvenile did not obey lawful commands given by officers on scene. A stop was conducted, and he was sent on his way,” a department spokesperson said, noting that officers attempted to loosen the teen's handcuffs after he complained of them being too tight.
According to Modi, a bystander asked police why they allegedly arrested the boy, to which an officer responded: “You don’t know if this kid was on his way to kill somebody. You don’t know if he had a bomb or a knife or if he was planning to rob someone.”
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.