At a time when many people are hoping the police would be a source of relief and protection, cops are still up to the same anti-Black policing we’re used to.
It’s even happening during a pandemic, and one officer used coronavirus (COVID-19) fears to target and terrify an innocent Black woman.
When Lynette King was recording police activity in her Baltimore neighborhood and a police officer passed her, she called him “officer friendly.”
His response was something that should NOT be tolerated by ANY law enforcement official.
The officer began coughing, on purpose, right at her! He didn’t cover his mouth, and it’s clear he didn’t care. Disgusting - and potentially dangerous.
Many carriers of coronavirus don’t have symptoms, and because of their jobs, cops are even more susceptible. It was clearly an attempt to retaliate - leaving us to wonder.
Police should be lessening their interactions with the public to prevent the spread, but plenty aren’t. Furthermore, since people are being prosecuted for coughing on people intentionally, will the officer face charges?
So far, he’s only been reassigned, and that’s not enough.
If it had been anyone else, they would have been arrested and charged. As we can see, even during scary unpredictable times, officers are able to escape any accountability.
For cops, COVID-19 may just be a new weapon for police brutality against Black people.