Police in Macapá throws black woman to ground, punches her in face
Note from BBT: Curious minds want to know. At least this one. What provokes a Military Police officer to throw a black woman to the ground and punch her in the face? Especially is she’s no threat. Unfortunately, the image is all too familiar, whether in the United States or Brazil. Of course, black folks have been complaining about police brutality for decades. The difference is that, these days, with cell phone cameras, we’re much more likely to see what happened.
The origins of today’s disturbing story started as they often do these days. I saw someone post a video in one of my WhatsApp groups. Often times, as there are so many messages, videos and photos, I don’t even get a chance to see everything. As it happens, a few days ago, I was checking messages in my Homens Pretos (black men) group at the very moment that one of the members shared the video.
I could see just from the still image that there were police ended, so I let out sigh before I pressed play, as any video that starts with police I already knew would probably be of a violent nature. As I clicked play and watched for less than 30 seconds, I realized I hadn’t been wrong about this premonition yet. Just like the countless videos I’ve seen over the years and like a video from back in July in which a Military Police agent was seen standing on a black woman’s neck, I have to ponder the same thing. If this woman didn’t pose a threat to him, I mean even if she would have been cursing at him, why was such a reaction necessary?
Wait…what was the government’s reaction? Isolated incident. Again?
PM attacks black woman during approach in Macapá
‘I was called black, I was called a vagabound by them’, says pedagogue Eliane Espírito Santo da Silva
A video circulating on social media on Sunday, September 20 shows the moment when a black woman is punched in the face during a police approach in Macapá (AP). The victim is 39-year-old pedagogue Eliane Espírito Santo da Silva.
In the images, while police search two men, Eliane is heard complaining. One of them tries to immobilize her, trips her and knocks her down. On the ground, she is struck with a punch in the face.
According to Eliane, she was a victim of racism. “For me, this was torture, it affected me psychologically a lot. […] I was called black, I was called a vagabound by them at the police station. I was offended and it was a big prejudice for me, because we were the only black people there. The correct thing is for everyone to be heard. Why am I going to post bail for a crime I didn’t commit? Why did the policeman attack me if I didn’t offend him and was just making a video?” she asked.
Mídia NINJA@MidiaNINJA – “TRIGGER: POLICE VIOLENCE. Another scene is circulating with a serious act of police violence. Until when? How many crimes are committed in these images? Complaints arriving at NINJA point out that the case occurred this weekend in Macapá (AP).”
The Amapá Military Police said it was an isolated case and will be investigated.
In a note, the state governor, Waldez Góes (PDT), described that the action was “full of racist attitudes”. For this reason, he informed that he determined to the command of the MP the “careful and quick investigation of the facts”.
The approach took place on Friday, the 18th at night, in a region called Loteamento São José, in the North Zone of the city. The teacher was arrested and presented at the Integrated Center for Public Security Operations (Ciosp) in the Pacoval neighborhood for resistance, contempt and disobedience.
“The police have already approached us by pointing guns at the car. They approached everyone except me; one of them punched my husband in the stomach. I told the team to release the teenager because he is from the countryside, and he was under my responsibility. I crossed, stayed on the sidewalk at home. Only one of them attacked me,” she commented.
According to Eliane, the action started when she was inside a family friend’s car in front of the house; in the vehicle were she, her husband, two friends, a 15-year-old teenager, and a 4-year-old niece.
The pedagogue said that three military police officers started to search the men, while telling her to go across the street. Eliane also started recording a video with her phone, which was apprehended by the team. Her husband, Thiago da Silva, was also arrested on the same charges.
Images from the extended video also show the two agents taking Eliane and a man away in handcuffs. The woman is taken to a car, while a child watching the scene from inside the house, next to the one who recorded the action, despairs and cries. The girl calls the woman “auntie” several times. The couple paid BRL $800 bail to be released.
The police involved in the approach were removed from their activities pending investigation.
Waldez Góes@waldezoficial:
“The images circulating on social networks, of a military policeman cowardly assaulting a citizen, embarrass the security forces and the State of Amapá. The scene gets even worse because it is full of racist attitudes.
Our police are historically admired and recognized for their respect for citizens and I am absolutely sure that this fact is isolated and does not reflect the actions of the thousands of fathers and mothers of families who daily wear a uniform and dedicate themselves to protecting and serving our population.
I determined to the General Command of the Military Police a careful and quick investigation of the facts shown in the video. Scenes like this cannot be tolerated and cannot be repeated.”
Source: UOL, Carta Capital
Leave a Reply