Arrested students accuse police of aggression
by Rachel Marder and Lital Shair
News | 10/9/07
Posted online at 9:28 PM EST on 10/8/07
/ Last updated at 4:56 PM EST on 10/8/07
"I want to know why she's being arrested, and I'd like you guys to not handle her roughly,'" Fruchterman paraphrased Thomas' request. "They immediately started telling him, 'You're threatening us. You're making threatening movements,'" Fruchterman said.
After explaining to the police that he was unarmed, Thomas was told again by the police to back away or else he would be arrested as well for interfering with Ives' arrest.
"They singled out the one large black man at the party and took him down," he said.
Ives agreed. "He was very polite. He was very by the book."
The incident report said, however, that Thomas approached the officers "in an aggressive manner and motioned as if he were going to pick up the pipe," at which point Amarante and Waltham officer Adam Lord advised Thomas to stay back and radioed the dispatch for more officers. Ives estimated that four additional officers arrived soon after.
"In this particular incident, you have a gentleman … approaching police in an aggressive manner," King said. "It's not a safe situation for the police, and it's not a safe situation for the students who were there."
After explaining to the police that he was unarmed, Thomas was told again by the police to back away or else he would be arrested as well for interfering with Ives' arrest.
"They singled out the one large black man at the party and took him down," he said.
Ives agreed. "He was very polite. He was very by the book."
The incident report said, however, that Thomas approached the officers "in an aggressive manner and motioned as if he were going to pick up the pipe," at which point Amarante and Waltham officer Adam Lord advised Thomas to stay back and radioed the dispatch for more officers. Ives estimated that four additional officers arrived soon after.
"In this particular incident, you have a gentleman … approaching police in an aggressive manner," King said. "It's not a safe situation for the police, and it's not a safe situation for the students who were there."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Ryan
posted 10/09/07 @ 8:22 AM EST
Sounds like the cops did thier job. Everyone knows not to talk back to a cop, it's useless. They'll just cuff you regardless of skin color. Talking back to them, or "standing your ground" and asking questions, threatens them so they feel forced to flex thier power. (Continued…)
Sam
posted 10/09/07 @ 8:42 PM EST
That may be true Ryan, but they wouldn't necessarily _arrest_ someone for "talking back." It's too much. Regardless of the situation, we shouldn't be afraid to approach an officer and ask s/he questions. (Continued…)
anderson thomas
posted 3/24/08 @ 12:21 AM EST
FUCK DA POLICE
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