Black man taken to jail for sitting in public area

[Thebobo]

Man I would be fuming this kind of shit boils my blood.

Black man taken to jail for sitting in public area - Video inside

A video of a man being arrested and allegedly Tasered by police in front of his children for refusing to leave an area of a building has sparked outrage after it was posted on YouTube.

The footage, which shows an incident in January but has only recently been released, shows an altercation between Christopher Lollie and two police officers who were called by a security guard at the First National Bank Building in Minnesota.

Throughout the video, Mr Lollie, a local artist, says he is being approached by police because he a black man. Footage of the incident was posted online on Tuesday and has already been viewed over 132,000 times.

St Paul’s Police Department initially charged him with trespassing, disorderly conduct and obstruction of the legal process, but these were dropped in July.

The video, taken by Mr Lollie during his arrest, begins with a female police officer repeatedly asking his name as she escorts him away. When he declines to answer and asks why he has to tell her his identity, she responds: “Because that’s what police do when they get called, they identify people.”


"Well, I know my rights, first off," Mr Lollie replies. "Secondly, I don't have to let you know who I am if I haven't broken any laws."

The father-of-two can be heard explaining that he is on his way to New Horizon’s to collect his children at 10am. "That's a public area," he said. "If there's no sign that doesn’t [say], 'This is a private area, you can't sit here,' no one can tell me I can't sit there."

When the police officer begins to explain “what the problem was”, Mr Lollie interjects: "The problem is I'm black. That’s the problem – it really is, because I didn’t do anything wrong.”

The female officer escorting Mr Lollie away The female officer escorting Mr Lollie away Shortly after this, a male officer comes into the screen and approaches Mr Lollie, reaching towards him. Mr Lollie tells the officer “please don’t touch me”, to which he responds: “Well, you’re going to go to jail then”.

Mr Lollie repeatedly insists he is not doing anything wrong and at one point calls the officer “brother”, to which he replies “I’m not your brother”.

“Put your hands behind your back, otherwise this is going to get ugly,” the male police officer can be heard telling him.

Shortly after this, the video screen becomes obscured and the officer can be heard saying: “You’re gonna get Tased”. A distressed Mr Lollie can be heard repeatedly saying that he has not done anything wrong, before children can be heard shouting in the back ground.

Mr Lollie shouts: “Can somebody help me, that’s my kids right there” before the sound of a Taser can be heard.

 

[theeedude]

Lawsuits all around, both cops and building owner.

 

[Moonbeam]

Perhaps we should rethink the issue of the police using dominating force as their one trick technique.

 

[PokerGuy]

Is there any information that supports the claim that race is involved in any way?

He said officers were called to the scene by private security guards following reports of a man who had repeatedly refused requests to leave to leave a private "employees only" area in the First National Bank Building.

I haven't seen the video (no access to video right now), but from the story itself I don't see anything wrong with what happened. Maybe the video showed something different.

 

[PokerGuy]

Perhaps we should rethink the issue of the police using dominating force as their one trick technique.

Amazing, I caught one!! Once in a great while, moonie says something both coherent and relevant, and this happens to be one of them.

The "serve" part of "protect and serve" seems to be missing frequently these days. Part of it is that society in general has gotten less polite, but it seems like police have fewer tools in their bag at this point, they default to "escalate, dominate" as the answer too often.

 

[Paul98]

Hopefully he and his family get paid a lot of money for these actions.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Video Begins DURING HIS ARREST.

I reserve ANY and all judgement from a video that begins DURING an arrest, just as much as I SHOULD have reserved judgement from a bunch of "eye-witnesses" that said someone with their hands up running away got shot in the back multiple times. I was totally on Michael Brown's side all the way during that whole debacle too until everything came forward with the facts showing the bullets came in from the front making every single eye witness turn from "useful fact" to "complete bullshit spewing fountains".

To all the libtards about to jump onboard, QED

 

[PokerGuy]

Hopefully he and his family get paid a lot of money for these actions.

What are "these actions" exactly? What were the specifics of the scenario, what happened before he was arrested? Was he in fact in a private area, did he refuse to leave?

The fact that he's claiming it's because he's black doesn't make it so. Is there any evidence for the claim, or any supporting documentation?

 

[nehalem256]

The fact that he's claiming it's because he's black doesn't make it so. Is there any evidence for the claim, or any supporting documentation?

It also doesn't help you in a confrontation with the cops.

Pro-tips: No matter how racist a cop might be. Calling him a racist isn't going to make your situation any better.

 

[Moonbeam]

What are "these actions" exactly? What were the specifics of the scenario, what happened before he was arrested? Was he in fact in a private area, did he refuse to leave?

The fact that he's claiming it's because he's black doesn't make it so. Is there any evidence for the claim, or any supporting documentation?

This is so true. Black people are racists because they always think everything that happens to them is because they are black. That is why, when I drive into a black neighborhood for some reason when I have to, and remember I haven't locked my door when I come to a red light and black people are walking by, I always carry a sign I hold up explaining that I am locking my door only because I don't want to risk falling out of my car.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

This is so true. Black people are racists because they always think everything that happens to them is because they are black. That is why, when I drive into a black neighborhood for some reason when I have to, and remember I haven't locked my door when I come to a red light and black people are walking by, I always carry a sign I hold up explaining that I am locking my door only because I don't want to risk falling out of my car.

You know, you must type this because these thoughts cross your mind as well

I lock my doors at stop lights thanks to playing GTA3 a ton back in the day /flex.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

I'm not an expert on the laws in the US. But surely if the police have said they are arresting you, then you should peacefully let them do that. Later as part of the arrest process (i'm not 100% sure how it works in the US), I presume you can explain what has happened and why you are innocent or whatever.
If you resist arrest, then the police are fully entitled to take appropriate action, such as tasering etc. (I assume).
He seemed to be resisting arrest to me.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I'm not an expert on the laws in the US. But surely if the police have said they are arresting you, then you should peacefully let them do that. Later as part of the arrest process (i'm not 100% sure how it works in the US), I presume you can explain what has happened and why you are innocent or whatever.
If you resist arrest, then the police are fully entitled to take appropriate action, such as tasering etc. (I assume).
He seemed to be resisting arrest to me.

Get the fuck out.
You're using logical conclusions.
And we can't have that.
Especially if you're leaning towards the liberal side of things.

 

[cubby1223]

Biased article doesn't help anyone learn what happened.

Thing is, if he had a normal discussion with the officer, rather than go into "I'm black" mode, situation would have taken probably two minutes and he'd be on his way with any tasoring.

The officers did not approach him because he was black. It may be true that the bank employees call the police because he was black, perhaps that's what you should look at? But guess what part of the story the article doesn't go into any detail on? That's right, who called the police, why, and what did they say to the police.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

Get the fuck out.
You're using logical conclusions.
And we can't have that.
Especially if you're leaning towards the liberal side of things.

It's not political or logic as such, it's the law (at least in the UK), where resisting arrest is a criminal offence, as well as whatever he was being arrested for.

If you want to resolve the situation by talking, then it needs to be done, BEFORE they arrest you. The video does not seem to show what happened before, but from what I did see, I think he was rather uncooperative, which is a very bad idea, if the police are involved.

 

[Moonbeam]

I'm not an expert on the laws in the US. But surely if the police have said they are arresting you, then you should peacefully let them do that. Later as part of the arrest process (i'm not 100% sure how it works in the US), I presume you can explain what has happened and why you are innocent or whatever.
If you resist arrest, then the police are fully entitled to take appropriate action, such as tasering etc. (I assume).
He seemed to be resisting arrest to me.

Those are wonderful thoughts. But just imagine you got stopped by cops on a regular basis just because you're black. I'm betting your wonderful advise would start to become threadbare in just a short while. "Poke me in the eye once, shame on me, poke me in the eye twice, well you better never do that again if you know what I mean."

 

[MrPickins]

"That's a public area," he said. "If there's no sign that doesn’t [say], 'This is a private area, you can't sit here,' no one can tell me I can't sit there."

Just because there is no sign doesn't mean he can't be asked to leave private property.

 

[Moonbeam]

It's not political or logic as such, it's the law (at least in the UK), where resisting arrest is a criminal offence, as well as whatever he was being arrested for.

If you want to resolve the situation by talking, then it needs to be done, BEFORE they arrest you. The video does not seem to show what happened before, but from what I did see, I think he was rather uncooperative, which is a very bad idea, if the police are involved.

Why oh why can't you think beyond your own reality? What kind of special talent does it take to have perspective? Jesus Christ!

 

[pauldun170]

Video Begins DURING HIS ARREST.

I reserve ANY and all judgement from a video that begins DURING an arrest, just as much as I SHOULD have reserved judgement from a bunch of "eye-witnesses" that said someone with their hands up running away got shot in the back multiple times. I was totally on Michael Brown's side all the way during that whole debacle too until everything came forward with the facts showing the bullets came in from the front making every single eye witness turn from "useful fact" to "complete bullshit spewing fountains".

To all the libtards about to jump onboard, QED

Incorrect
The video DID NOT begin during his arrest.

 

[cubby1223]

Those are wonderful thoughts. But just imagine you got stopped by cops on a regular basis just because you're black. I'm betting your wonderful advise would start to become threadbare in just a short while. "Poke me in the eye once, shame on me, poke me in the eye twice, well you better never do that again if you know what I mean."

The writer of the article is making the assumption he was stopped because he was black, and many in this thread are making the same assumption.

The police were talking to him because they were responding to a call requesting assistance.

It may turn out that the only thing he was "guilty" of was for being black, but there is not sufficient information provided to reach that conclusion.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

Why oh why can't you think beyond your own reality? What kind of special talent does it take to have perspective? Jesus Christ!

The police are around to help everything move smoothly, and to take appropriate action if there is criminal activities. So if for some reason they have decided to arrest you, then you should calmly let them do it.

If instead, you ignore their "you are under arrest", and you start swearing, kicking, ignoring/refusing/annoying the police, it will usually not go down well.

E.g. I think there is a thread about an 18 year old boy, who got shot dead, for resisting arrest, and acting aggressively to the officers. When he charged at the police officer, he got shot.

Yes, there may be issues, of the police harassing innocent people, but badly resisting arrest is NOT a good solution to this problem, if it exists.

 

[nehalem256]

Just because there is no sign doesn't mean he can't be asked to leave private property.

Yeah by that argument if someone leaves their door unlocked I can just go inside and start watching tv on their couch

Bro, why you tasing me there wasn't a sign saying I couldn't sit here

 

[squarecut1]

The "serve" part of "protect and serve" seems to be missing frequently these days. Part of it is that society in general has gotten less polite, but it seems like police have fewer tools in their bag at this point, they default to "escalate, dominate" as the answer too often.

Agreed. The police is part of the society. In many ways, a reflection of it. The society has become much more aggressive and rude. There is more stress all around
I

 

[Moonbeam]

Just because there is no sign doesn't mean he can't be asked to leave private property.

Exactly, and because he's black. If the amygdalas of folk weren't set off by tigers humanity might have gone extinct. How can you blame folk who live in a country with millions in jail, mostly black, and not experience terror seeing one sitting in a bank. It's only prudent to throw the notion we're all equal under the law when nervous anxiety can be so easily relieved at the black man's expense. Far be it for me to have to deal with my own ingrained prejudice. I might get robbed. And good grief, think of how much worse it must be for white women. I know I'd feel a lot better if black males wore burkas. I could have sexual fantasies riding in an elevator with one instead of pissing in my pants.

 

[Abwx]

So someone can call the police and say that there s a suspicious guy in a public dedicated areas and then the police will come to arrest the guy, and if the guy point that he did no wrongdoing the charge is shifted from nothing to allegedly resisting arrest, an arrest that has from the start no legal basis, so i guess that an anymous caller suspicions are still held as valuable even if the police witnessed that the guy was doing no wrong.

Obviously he was racialy profiled by the caller and the police is just proving that they are indeed biaised, ther are other people in this place and they dont seem to bother neither the callers, since they say nothing about other people, neither the police.