Police brutality can’t be overlooked any longer

Martese Johnson, 20, was beaten by police outside Trinity Irish Pub in Charlottesville, Va., March 18.

Police officers beat the University of Virginia junior over a suspicion that he was using a fake I.D. to get into the pub. A video shows police after forcing Johnson to the ground and handcuffing him, while Johnson’s head bleeds profusely from a gash on his head that ultimately required ten stitches.

Court records show Johnson was charged on two counts — obstruction of justice without force and public swearing or intoxication. Police claim that Johnson was “very agitated and belligerent,” but no eyewitness accounts have backed that claim up.

The day after the incident, students at the University of Virginia gathered at the library to protest Johnson’s arrest. Instances like this remind us that police brutality is an issue that is growing nationwide, and that it is important to show support to the victims of aggressive and violent behavior from police.

As social media makes police brutality harder to simply brush under the rug, it is easy to be hopeful for a change, but the question must be asked – what does it mean when these instances can be recorded and still ignored?

Members of the black community continue to be subject to extreme use of force by police, and it is being brought to our attention through various media sources more frequently.

Violent behavior from police is atrocious and unnecessary. From UVA, to New York, to Ferguson, we must be dedicated to preventing racism and senseless violence. Police must be held accountable for their actions, not treated as if they are above the law.

Solidarity with those subject to this form of oppression is of the utmost importance, because it is shameful to ignore the subjugation of the black community by racist police any longer.