(no subject)

[mimesere]

What a glorious time to be Middle Eastern in the US.

I'm going to have nightmares about that video.

ETA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyvrqcxNIFs&eurl= The video.

As near as I can tell from the news stories I've read, this kid (of Middle Eastern descent) was in Powell Library at UCLA at around 11. He did not have his student ID, was asked to leave by the student volunteers, he mouthed off *but then got up to leave*. Campus security came, laid hands on him, he demanded they let go, and they began to forcibly remove him from the library. He went limp and did not fight back. The cops demanded he get up, he refused and shouted, "This is your patriot act, this is your abuse of power," they tasered him. He was restrained (you can see this in the video). They demanded he get up (after they had tasered him), he continued to refuse by staying limp, they tasered him again. Students around the situation demanded the officers' badge numbers and names, they refused to comply. They demanded, again, that he get up. He once again refused, though whether this was because he was physically incapable or because he was still exercising his right to be civilly disobedient. And it goes on and on.

The whole thing is horrifying.

ETA 2: What is *especially* horrifying? Are the people who think he brought it on himself. Not many of them, thank god, but they are still out there.

Comments

[demon-mistress.livejournal.com]

which video? what happened?

[mimesere.livejournal.com]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyvrqcxNIFs&eurl=

A student of Middle Eastern descent was tasered in Powell library by UCLA police.

[tellitslant]

God, isn't that disgusting? He's suing now - I don't have links, but I'm sure Kos or anyone's flist will pick it up.

[sexonastick.livejournal.com]

It's here, for one.

This is like the first time my following UCLA's women's soccer team has led to my having links more than two people might be interested in.

[mimesere.livejournal.com]

He's totally suing and good for him.

[liviapenn.livejournal.com]

Students around the situation demanded the officers' badge numbers and names, they refused to comply.

Refused to comply and, *on tape*, threatened to taser at least two students that were asking for their name and badge numbers.

There just aren't words.

[mimesere.livejournal.com]

Indeed there are not.

[oh-mumble.livejournal.com]

Good on that kid for getting the whole thing on videotape. That whole thing is utterly frightening. I understand the need for heightened security these days, but when the police can torture a kid like that, they've crossed a line. I wish I could say at least this will make society sit up and take action, but really, it won't. The police shot dead a *restrained* kid here last year, and the officers kept their jobs. One of them just killed a bank robber. Hey, anyone think he shouldn't be back on duty? O_o

[mimesere.livejournal.com]

What's especially frustrating is that no one here -- not in my family, not anyone that I've talked to -- doubts for one second that if the guy had been, say, a blue eyed blond from Orange County, none of this would have happened.

It's terrifying. I just keep thinking, "What if that was me? Or my nephew Omid? Or my niece Neda? Or my other nephew Navid? What if in ten years, that's Niki or Chayan?" What if, you know? I go to the labs all the time and forget my ID card. So does every student I know.

[hesychasm]

Thanks for linking to that -- I hadn't heard of it and I don't know why it wasn't bigger news. It happened last Tuesday!

[mimesere.livejournal.com]

I know some people linked to it on LJ: coniraya did, and so did jennyo. I heard about it the same day and it's been all over Persian news. So, I dunno. I am scared and discouraged.

[buddleia.livejournal.com]

Tasered? Fucking tasered? What the fucking fuck?

[mimesere.livejournal.com]

Tasered five times, at least two of which were after he'd already been handcuffed. And after he shouted "I have a medical condition."

Well played, UCPD. Well played indeed.

[the-grynne.livejournal.com]

WHAT THE BLEEDING FUCK?

I'm furious, shocked and terrified in equal measure.

Heightened security, well, okay. BUT ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS? IN A LIBRARY? Where's your fucking sense of proportion.

[mimesere.livejournal.com]

It's special, isn't it?

He didn't have his student ID card. That's what started the whole thing.

[the-grynne.livejournal.com]

I was stopped on a friend's campus and told to leave because I wasn't a student there. I can't imagine getting manhandled, though. *shudders* Although, it might be a little different if I were a guy.

[minim_calibre]

Rage. Just rage.

And a side of terror and sorrow, I guess, but mostly rage.

[mimesere.livejournal.com]

My mom and my sister both watched the video with me. It's the first time I've heard either of them say that they were glad I didn't go to UCLA. And right now, I'm really happy my niece and nephews didn't go either.

It's scary in so many ways and I just keep getting angrier.

[wemblee.livejournal.com]

Wow. I'd read about this in our school paper. How horrible. I just... Uch.

[mimesere.livejournal.com]

It's awful and scary.

[strangemuses.livejournal.com]

This is horrifying and sad. Those officers should be (at minimum) fired and then brought up on charges of assault.

[forensicgirl.livejournal.com]

Jesus-I am so glad I'm Canadian right now. Stupid Bush and his War on Terror-look where it's gotten America.

And what the fuck is with the repeated tasering? I mean, what? My God. That kid wasn't doing anything that was dangerous to the police. There was no call for that at all. I know the police take a lot of shit, but that was way out of line.

I should repost this too.

[jennyo.livejournal.com]

Oh, did you see? Shockingly, the cop involved has a history of, um, taking it too far: see? (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/19/10734/370) Though someone claims it can't be the race card because it's a black cop...

*snorts derisively* I'm still on the fact that as usual, you, me, and Coniraya are the ones who noticed this story, as compared to, y'know, the 8 billion people who informed me an 80-something white man died after getting to live out his dreams as a film director.