Skinheads in uniform?
The Wauwatosa Police Department in Wisconsin recently released their finding that: the brutal force one of their officers used against a Black male minor, outside of a mall last May 11, was “justified,” despite bystander cellphone video illustrating an unprovoked assault by police.
That these officials could call such a blatantly obvious act of police brutality “justified” shows us just how disingenuous and untrustworthy America’s White police officials are whenever the issue is racist policing especially during the Trump regime.
The Wauwatosa Police Department, and their officials, defend the police assault, by an officer, that can be clearly seen on the bystander video abusing his power. How can they tell us the Wisconsin Police officer who is recorded repeatedly punching a Black minor in the face, and back of head, outside of a shopping mall is “justified” in his assault?
The bystander cellphone video does not support this unjust finding by police.
The May 11 video, which has been making the rounds on social media, shows two officers from the Wauwatosa Police Department, in Wisconsin, beating up a 17-year-old Black teen outside of the Mayfair mall. Reportedly, police were called about a group of males “causing a disturbance.”
The very presence of Blacks always seems to disturb certain White Americans.
Two White responding officers encountered, presumably, one of the Black teens who was allegedly causing the “disturbance.” The bystander video, published on Facebook, then shows the blatant brutal bigotry of these officers.
The first moments of the video show one cop in front of the teen, and one cop behind him. The teen is first heard apparently saying something about his “momma.” Immediately after saying this, a bearded, bald-headed cop, who is in front of the teen, unprovoked, punches the teen in the face, while the cop in the back holds the teen.
The minor is then thrown to the ground and turned over on his back and police start to handcuff him. As he is being restrained, with the officers sitting on him, the bald-headed officer —who we now know is named Evan Olson—is still seen repeatedly punching the teen in the face, and on the back of his head.
It is what happens next which prevents the racist police attack from becoming much worse.
On the bystander video, a female voice is heard asking “Why did he punch him like that, ain’t he a minor.” This question possibly led two other young Black men, who seem to know the teen, to act.
On the video, these Black men come to the aid of their friend—and are seen protesting the criminal assault by Officer Olson, and his partner. When these brave Black men challenged the cops, Officer Olson—who is the one who first punched the teen, unprovoked—shouts orders for them to “get back,” and “step back.”
But the teens continue to protest the police violence they were witnessing. In so doing, the cops had something else to worry about—and Officer Olson stopped punching the teen. The brutalized Black teen continues to tell one of his friends to “call my momma.”
The intervention, of these two young Black men, also caused Officer Olson to realize he was on candid camera. In fact, one teen tells the officer he is being recorded. It is at this point, that Officer Olson’s violent conduct becomes more cautious.
We now know Officer Evan Olson is reportedly the one who punched this 17-year-old minor in the face—for no good reason. But, somehow, the Wauwatosa Police, and officials, have the temerity to tell us what we witness on this video isn’t an unwarranted abusive use of force.
Before their so-called investigation, Wauwatosa Police claimed the viral video “shows only a small segment of the interaction between the suspect and the officer.” What happened before Officer Olson punched this teen is irrelevant. The video shows us an unprovoked assault by this officer, period.
To add insult to injury, besides the vicious beating this minor received, he was also arrested for disorderly conduct, battery and resisting an officer.
In an administrative report, Officer Olson allegedly states he felt the 17-year-old minor was trying to wrestle him to the ground—and that he “felt he was alone,” outnumbered and “losing control.” Olson is said to have stated he “couldn’t think of a quicker way to stop the assault and felt he had no other option but to strike him in the face.” He also claimed he “didn’t hit as hard as he could have.”
When police tell these kinds of bogus lies they only destroy their own credibility.
How can Officer Olson seriously tell us he “felt he was alone” when he and his partner tag-teamed this teenager? And when he says this was the quickest “way to stop the assault,” exactly what “assault” is Officer Olson talking about?
The video doesn’t square with anything these police claim. Yet still, they tell us the most outrageous lies and expect us to accept their fables just because they are police. But our eyes are not lying to us about the police brutality that is recorded on that video.
Officer Olson claims he “didn’t hit as hard as he could have.” What exactly is this supposed to mean? Is he saying his form of police brutality is a kinder gentler form of police brutality? Or, is he signaling here he should be absolved because he didn’t kill this Black kid like other police have done?
In their “review,” the Wauwatosa Police make some stunning stupid statements.
First, they say “from watching the video and talking to (the officer), it appears the strikes to the head were effective even though (the officer) didn’t ‘put much behind’ those strikes.”
Let’s remember this: Officer Olson was striking this teen when he was on his stomach and being restrained by both officers. Here they are saying more unjustified brutality against this Black teen would’ve been alright with police brass.
These crooked cops also claim Officer Olson de-escalated his vicious attack after the teen fell. This is total bull. The de-escalation here happened because caring Black people were willing to put their bodies on the line and challenge these vicious thuggish cops.
A local group, called the Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee called for the firing of Officer Olson and the boycotting of the Wayfair mall. The Panthers of Milwaukee are an original Milwaukee chapter of the 1960’s Black Panther Party. King Rick, a member of the Panthers since the 70’s, led protests against the police and the mall.
“For too often are we being subjected to racial profiling in this mall, far too often,” Rick said in a video posted to his Facebook page. “Those dynamics have to change and we’re here to demand that they change.” Rick also said, “We are tired of this.”
Some in White America always seem to get worried whenever they see a group of Black men. But, in America, it is African-Americans who have usually been brutalized and victimized whenever a group of White males—including police—get together.
The one bright spot in this viral video is: the brave actions of these two young Black men who protested the police brutality they were witnessing. Their intervention surely stopped a bad situation from getting much worse—since these teens made these officers aware their actions were being recorded. They may have saved the boy’s life. He might have been shot for “resisting arrest” or “moving his right hand toward a bulging object in his waist band.”
More of these acts of brave Black defiance are necessary since Congress, and a large segment of White America, refuse to reign in police racism, and terror, targeted at the Black community.
It is up to Black America to force accountability upon America’s racist police. White establishment have shown us they will not hold bigots with badges and killer-cops accountable.
This silence amounts to condoning the conduct of corrupt contemptible cops who feel it is their duty to brutalize Black America.
These criminal attacks left unchecked will inevitably lead to a cataclysmic response when the victims decide enough is enough.
