Real interactions with police and border patrol show us exactly the reality people are facing in major U.S. cities. Their struggles and stories tell us a lot about the political state of how things are in the U.S. at this time. Unfortunately, for so many individuals and families, things aren’t looking good. A New York anti-ICE activist was recently pulled over for allegedly following an ICE agent too closely in their vehicle. What evolved from the police interaction was chaotic and ended in her literally being pulled from her vehicle and detained.
On TikTok, @northernnycoalition shared a video of a New York anti-ICE activist and an interaction she had with police in St. Regis. The disabled activist was driving along when she noticed a border patrol vehicle. She followed the vehicle at what she says was a safe distance of two to three vehicles’ length. Even after these precautions, she was stopped by St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police.
The officer who approaches her window tells her, “I pulled you over because you were tailgating border patrol. Was there a reason?” The activist tells him that she was two to three vehicle lengths behind him and going 55 miles per hour. She asks the cop if this is considered to be tailgating. The officer tells her, “Welp, just going by what we were told.” So, it’s clear this officer didn’t even witness what he alleged but heard it from another officer. He then asks her for her driver’s license and tells her he has “probable cause” but she refuses to give it to him.
The officer and the activist fight back and forth, with him demanding her to “step out of the vehicle” but she refuses. You can hear him calling for backup while she explains that she doesn’t think he truly has probable cause. He then tells her that, yes, she’s being detained because she won’t hand over her driver’s license. She tells the cop that he can get a “warrant” if he wants to see her license. He tells her, “I gave you multiple chances to give me your driver’s license. So, step out of the vehicle.”
Eventually, the activist tries to explain to the officer that they were wrong for pulling her over, stating, “I was not tailgating. There were multiple vehicle lengths between us.” He doesn’t want to hear it. Instead, he reaches in and attempts to pull the key out of her vehicle. When she tries to stop him, he grabs ahold of her wrist and forcefully proclaims, “Step out of the vehicle!” This officer and another female officer pull her out of her vehicle and it appears that she’s recording him from the ground. You can hear the male officer call out, “Stop!” before the recording ends.
According to Northern NY Coalition, the activist was ‘physically assaulted’ by the officers, who then impounded her vehicle. They claim she was detained and will have to pay $800 to get her vehicle out of impound. On top of that, she’s facing a variety of legal fees.
One commenter chimed in, “’Just going by what we were told’ is NOT a reason to pull you over!” Another suggested, “Don’t argue, show your license and then sue for an illegal stop after the fact. You can be arrested for failure to produce your license. Each stop that is illegal can be documented and used in court.” It’s solid advice for anybody who may face these accusations in the future.
