An Allentown, Penn. cop was recorded kneeling on a man’s neck, restraining him in a fashion similar to how former Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin restrained George Floyd, ultimately resulting in Floyd’s death.
According to CBS Philly, the video was taken on Saturday outside of St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Hospital at around 6:30 p.m. as officers responded to a man who was vomiting and staggering along the street, before ending up on the hospital emergency room’s driveway.
Police claim that as officers and hospital staff interacted with the unidentified man, he began to “yell, scream and spit” at responders.
“As officers attempted to restrain the individual, all parties fell to the ground. The individual continued to be non-compliant which required officers to restrain the individual and the hospital applied a spit shield.”
The man was eventually taken into the hospital for treatment and later released.
#BREAKING @AllentownPolice response to video showing an officer appearing to have his knee on a persons neck. @CBSPhilly @BLMlehighvalley pic.twitter.com/0O7H2N8iaF
— Joshua Crompton (@PhillyNewsGuy) July 13, 2020
However, video taken by passersby show officers struggling with the man who was prone on the ground with his hands behind his back. At one point, an officer could be seen almost lying on the man’s back with his elbow near his neck, before shifting his position and pulling his knee into the man’s neck or head.
The footage immediately drew backlash and protests from local Black Lives Matter organizers.
“We’re done,” Black Lives Matter to Lehigh Valley leader Justan Parker said. “People think that it couldn’t happen here and it has been happening and it happened yesterday. So enough is enough.”
Just last week, the Allentown Police Department praised themselves for releasing their use of force policy.No sooner than a week after the APD released this policy, a police officer was viewed applying the same use of force, knee to the neck, procedure that killed George Floyd. At approximately 6:45 this evening, there was a situation in front of St Lukes Hospital, Sacred Heart campus.WE DEMAND ANSWERS!What good is a use of force policy if Allentown lives will still be disregarded?!It is clear and evident that black and brown lives DO NOT matter to the city of Allentown!
Posted by Black Lives Matter to Lehigh Valley on Saturday, July 11, 2020
“Just last week, the Allentown Police Department praised themselves for releasing their use of force policy,” the caption under the video read. “No sooner than a week after the APD released this policy, a police officer was viewed applying the same use of force, knee to the neck, procedure that killed George Floyd.”
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