The Police Exposed Her Breasts
Every day, we are bombarded by information about police brutality. At times, it’s all too easy to passively see the information pass us by. After being exposed to violence day in and day out, some people may feel desensitized. I think that we should fight that feeling of complacency. Every story about an officer violating his or her oath of office should be acknowledged, analyzed, and questioned. The risk of letting this type of violence go unchecked outweighs the risk of being over inundated with these types of stories.
In Mobile Alabama, on April 22, 2020, a black woman was assaulted by police officers in a Waffle House Restaurant. Clemons and two men had allegedly argued with an employee at the Waffle House. The police officers were called due to an accusation fo disorderly conduct. Clemons was sitting in a chair when the altercation began and was not asked to leave the Waffle House. An officer yanked her by the wrist. They “wrestled Clemons to the ground, exposing her breasts during the struggle” (Thelilynews, 2018). She was wearing a tube top. They accused her of resisting arrests. However, she was trying to cover her breasts which were exposed due to the actions fo the officers.
- First of all, she had every right to cover her body. She is a woman, not some animal that needed to be wrangled. If there was any doubt that she would be physically exposed by a male officer, they could have called for female officers to conduct any necessary investigation or arrest.
- Secondly, the response did not meet the needs of the moment. This woman was not being violent; she was treated as if she had been. No employee asked her to leave. Thus, she was not trespassing. They ultimately charged her with resisting arrest and disturbing the peace. However, none of these alleged offenses took place before the officers arrived.
- Lastly, they violated her rights by answering a question by using force instead of a response describing the law or any rationale. When she asked what the officer would do, he responded, “I’ll break your arm, that’s what I’m about to do” (Thelilynews, 2019). One of the officers choked her during the arrest. This abuse was unnecessary and caused more of an uproar than any alleged disturbance in the Waffle House originally.
When they carelessly exposed the woman’s breasts for everyone to see, they were disrespecting her very humanity. Every person has the right to decency. Yet, they deprived her of being treated with the respect she deserved. The police are not currently conducting an investigation into the conduct of the officers involved. They have claimed to have justification for their actions. Yet, the video tells a different story.
Too often, people look for a perfect victim before standing up against police brutality. The victims if often criminalized in the eyes of the public, even if they never had their day in court. Even when cases make it to court, shaming is often used in a blatant attempt to discredit the witness. This is especially blatant in cases involving rape victims. The defendant’s lawyers will use language to try to discredit the testimony of the victim. Criticizing what the woman was wearing at the time and how many people she’s slept with are typical tactics of an aggressive defense. Although these tactics have been used against witnesses, they are less often used against prosecutors, police officers, or detectives. Too often they are seen as above reproach. Yet, everyday citizens get critiqued with a harsh, unforgiving eye.
Even if Clemons was guilty, it does not excuse the behavior of the officers. If she or anyone she was with had caused discomfort among the staff, they could have asked her to leave. Only after trying to handle this civilly, should it have escalated. Yet, the officers failed to ask her to leave. There was no attempt to use nonviolent means to handle the situation. It is also concerning that her case has been ignored by mainstream media who often look for a perfect victim before showing outrage.
(Thelilynews, 2018)
Thelilynews. (2018, April 23). ‘You’re choking me!’: Black woman is wrestled to the ground by police. Retrieved July 01, 2020, from https://www.thelily.com/youre-choking-me-black-woman-is-wrestled-to-the-ground-by-police/
