People of Hispanic descent, or even those who simply look a bit darker than everyone else, have been extra wary of police activity lately. It isn’t because they need officers by their side so much as it is the fact that they’re actively being hunted by them. Well, maybe not so literally. However, ICE agents have made it their prerogative to instill fear in the hearts of everyone they come across. Most recently, an elderly car wash owner in Van Nuys, California, experienced the worst of their torment when he was beaten up and beaten down by them.
The above video showcases clips from different angles of various ICE agents overtaking an elderly man at the Valley Car Wash in Van Nuys, California. What’s even worse is that the 80-year-old American citizen, Rafie Shouhed, was wrongly detained, simply because he was trying to protect one of his own employees. In one of the clips, you can see an agent push Shouhed down to the ground as he tries to get past him in order to reach a different employee.
When Shouhed approached that officer outside of the establishment for further explanation, a different officer came in and beat him down. Unfortunately, he was severely injured, suffering several bruises all over his body and a dislocated elbow. Various commentators below the video condemn the actions of the agents, with one comment in particular saying, “I know we may have a certain “I know they aren’t going to get justice” mindset, even in distressing times, BUT I am hoping that more lawsuits are flooding ICE and the Trump administration. This is so gross, negligent, and frightening. Civil rights lawyers need not be silenced and need to be prepared to work overtime.“
Personally, I feel the same. I don’t carry all of my personal papers concerning my citizenship on me, and even though I shouldn’t fear for my safety as a result, I do. I can only imagine the fear going through the minds of those who have darker skin than I.
After being wrongfully detained, Rafie Shouhed was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles. Despite his injuries, Shouhed was not treated until he was released from the center hours later. Unfortunately, it does appear that the man he was trying to protect was detained, as he was walked off-camera by an officer. Shouhed is now on the road to recovery, though it is clear that he will be much warier of agents at his car wash moving forward.
