“This is not a war. This is a 12-year-old kid." That phrase, overheard in the above video, sums up why it's so shocking.
[Warning: The video clip is violent and may be difficult to watch.]
New video has surfaced showing an NYPD officer beating a young black man who, according to bystanders is just 12. The clip was uploaded to Facebook on Wednesday by actress Sarah Doneghy. In it, three uniformed officers are seen holding the child against a squad car when a fourth officer runs up and punches him repeatedly. It takes place in broad daylight, and the officer is not wearing a uniform.
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According to reports, the boy was accused of "pushing down one of his classmates," which he denies.
The crowd of bystanders reacts to the beating with audible surprise and outrage. Someone asks, "Would you do that to a blond, blue-eyed kid?" Another shouts to the cops that the victim is only 12.
It comes at the end of weeks of nationwide protests against police brutality of unarmed black men and boys. On December 3, a grand jury decided not to indict an NYPD officer who killed Eric Garner in a chokehold. The incident was filmed, and Garner, who was unarmed and had asthma, can be heard screaming "I can't breathe." On November 24, in Ferguson, Missouri, a different grand jury failed to indict the police officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown. On November 22, another 12-year-old, Tamir Rice, was killed by cops in Cleveland.
Update: The victim appears young and is identified as 12 years old in the video, but his age has not been independently verified. We've updated our copy to reflect this.