On August 27, 2019, a police officer by the name of Zach Christensen committed an act of violence as he physically attacked an African American 11 year old girl, throwing her to the floor and repeatedly instructing her to "stop resisting". As he laid on top of her and continued to attempt arresting her, she would scream and weep in agony hoping to break free from his grip.
Due to the fact the girl had brushed a paper against the school's principal after tearing it off the school's front door, the officer accused her of battery and destruction of property. This was the supposed reason he attacked her and the supposed reason he attempted arrest. Prior to her striking the paper against her teacher, the officer was interested in arresting the young girl for "disrupting the educational process", based on the fact she refused to listen to her teachers, interacted with others in class, stood up on the bus, and proceeded to take one additional carton of milk during lunch.
This example of police brutality illustrates the unjust system we live in today. Many view police as a threat in opposition to being a source of protection. Many experience a violation of their rights, as they are targeted simply for reasons such as the color of their skin. Throughout this year, we have reviewed similar cases connecting to this girl being attacked, such as Michael Brown's confrontation with Darren Wilson. In both cases, we recognize a Caucasian police officer using his stature of authority to intimidate and oppress an African American victim and use excessive force in a situation that could have been handled differently. Our legal system attempts to protect all regardless of color, gender, religion, or sexual orientation, but we still have a long way to go.
Source:
https://www.theroot.com/watch-school-resource-officer-resigns-after-brutal-att-1839301493
In this situation, the power held by the police officer tainted his behavior and gave him an unjust sense of power. Not only was he a white law enforcement officer, he was also significantly older than the minor he attacked. In cases like these, minors can often be taken advantage of because of their age and unfamiliarity with the system. Police officers might interrogate them without their parents present or not read them their miranda rights, and minors either wouldn’t know the different or may not feel empowered enough to speak out against it. This was certainly relevant in the “When They See Us” film and case, were minors were interrogated and lied to by law enforcement.
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