Video of Police Officers Pepper-Spraying Black 9-Year-Old Sparks Outrage

Source: Douglas Sacha / Getty

Welp, it didn’t take long into the new year for police officers to show that’s they still don’t get it. February 1st is supposed to be a day we’re supposed to be honoring Black greatness with the start of Black History Month. Instead, Twitter is laser-focused on the actions of Rochester police officers. On Sunday (Jan.31), the city released video footage from a Friday (Jan.29) incident that involved a 9-year old girl.

In the released bodycam footage, officers can be seen handcuffing the child before they tried to force her into the back of a police cruiser and then pepper-spraying her because she was “resisting.” Sunday, Deputy Police Chief Andre Anderson claimed the unnamed girl was suffering from mental issues and threatening to take her own life as well as her mother’s.

The Rochester police department claimed the situation “required” the use of handcuffs and irritant to ensure the girl’s safety during the incident. Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren is not buying what the police was selling and condemned the officers’ actions and pledged that an internal review of the city’s law enforcement practices would be investigated during a press conference. “It is clear from the video that we need to do more supporting our children and families,” Warren said. “I have a 10-year-old child, so she’s a child, she’s a baby.” “This video, as a mother, is not anything you want to see. We have to understand compassion, empathy,” she added. Mayor Warren wasn’t alone in condemning the actions. The Rochester city council members also spoke out against the police officers’ excessive force when dealing with the child. They pointed out that a mental health professional should have been called in to handle the situation. Local police chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan also spoke out against the police officers’ use of force, saying, “I’m not going to stand here and tell you that for a 9-year-old to have to be pepper-sprayed is OK, It’s not.” But as expected, Mike Mazzeo, the local police union president, caped for his fellow police officers claiming that due to “limited resources,” the officers were left with no choice but use pepper-spray on a child.

“This is not about lack of compassion or empathy. We’re dealing with a very difficult situation.”

“It’s not TV. It’s not Hollywood. We don’t just have a simple put someone in handcuffs and have them comply.”

https://twitter.com/EoinHiggins_/status/1356096126739472399?s=20 Like the Mayor, local police chief, and Rochester city council members, Twitter was also outraged, and “she’s 9” immediately trended on the social media medium after the video’s release.

This is why we march. This is why many are calling for the police to be abolished. You can see more reactions to the appalling video in the gallery below. — Photo: Douglas Sacha / Getty