NYPD officer filmed using Taser against black protester

'He is going to lose his job,' one protester said of the police officer

Graig Graziosi
Monday 13 July 2020 23:13 BST
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A police officer used a Taser against a black man during a protest in Brooklyn on Monday.

The protester was following a group of police, yelling at them for arresting another Black Lives Matter protest attendee earlier that day.

As the protester approaches the police officer, the officer swirls around and gets in the protesters' face. The police officer then shoves him backwards.

The protester stumbles back a few feet and is grappled from the side by another police officer, who attempts to wrestle him to the ground.

Eventually the protester breaks the grapple, and the officer fighting with him steps back. The protester does not try to run away but steps back.

At the same time, the officer draws his Taser and fires it at the protester. It takes nearly five seconds for the officer to draw the device, aim and fire it. During that time, the protester does not move or make any aggressive actions.

"He's going to lose his job," one protester said several times after the Taser was used.

The Taser pulses drop the protester to the sidewalk. He then begins ripping the barbs out of his clothing as the police officer who shot him with the device tries to restrain him.

As the protester struggles back to his feet, a swarm of officers descend on him and slam him against a nearby car. They force the protester's arms behind his back and begin restraining him.

"You tased me," the protester yelled after dropping to the ground. "I didn't do nothing!"

The video of the encounter eventually caught the attention of the state's attorney general, Lettia James. She asked the journalist who shot the video to send a report and the video to her office

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