American Police Brutality
In April 2008, a woman named Mary Brooke Oberwetter attended Thomas Jefferson's 265th birthday, but got arrested because she was dancing to the music on her headphones. Demonstrating against this, some people went there on May 29th to dance and were subsequently arrested and also recieved some pretty rough treatment by the police.
This has roused accusations of police brutality and oppression, but anyone who doesn't live in a cave isolated from the world's media will know that it's not exactly the first time something like that has happened.
Just a couple of examples here. In the first one here, the arrest happens about halfway in.
And in the following video, a chief of police seems to have managed to permanently brain damage a girl with his taser.
I dare say none of this would have happened here as the role of the police and the mentality is very much that they are a service to the people. With that comes a different mentality (I believe) and they don't carry guns or tasers. I realize that things are different in the US and having that kind of force available may be necessary, but from the videos I see and how they for example tase people who don't comply (who wouldn't run from a taser?), it makes me think american police are a bit too willing to use excessive force.
What do you think?
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