The encounters people have with ICE agents have gotten more violent with each arrest. One such disturbing incident in California was captured and posted on Reddit, showing the violent arrest of a woman outside an ICE. The woman, who has been protesting for months, was outside the office when a police officer sprayed pepper spray in her mouth and began to chase her when she spit it out, claiming she was to be arrested for assault. In the clip, two officers ran after the woman, and one of them tased her on her arm once he got close to her.
She immediately stopped running and turned, walking towards the officers, screaming that she had not laid a hand on any of them. Soon, one of the officers tackled her to the pavement, turned her face down, and placed his knee on her neck as he restrained her. Fellow protesters kept shouting at the officers, questioning why they were arresting the woman. The officers picked her up and marched her into the office premises. In a follow-up video, the woman shared that she was released. Still in the hospital gown, she turned the camera to the hand she had been tased in, showing the taser probe, still in her hand. “Dude just tased me, weak as [expletive], didn’t do anything. You know why it didn’t do anything? Because it went straight into my bone!” The woman shared that the doctors had told her that they could not get the probe out immediately and it might be stuck in her arm for a week.
Outrage Erupts Across Social Media Platforms Against Officers
The clip circulating the internet ignited fierce online condemnation against the use of excessive physical force. Many users called for the agency’s disbandment, demanding accountability from law enforcement.
Many users argued that the whole incident stemmed from racial profiling. A user argued that society had become an authoritarian state where merely speaking out leads to violent detention. Reacting with intense disbelief, a netizen wrote, “The power tripping is insane! There’s absolutely no reason to put his knee on her neck wtf.” Another frustrated netizen shared how disturbing it was to witness the brutal physical restraint shown in the clip. Employing dark sarcasm, a commenter highlighted that the fact that they did not immediately execute her on the spot was an improvement.
Expressing intense anger at the pure disregard of civil rights, a user urged the public to channel their outrage towards such suppression. An optimistic user wrote, “I can’t wait for ICE to be disbanded. The trials and sentences should be brutal. There’s no place for them in a civilized society. Maybe they should be stored in Alligator Alcatraz with no air conditioning.”
