Alameda Police Arrest Mali Watkins, Black Man, For Dancing In The Street Violating First Amendment
ONN – Alameda Police Arrest Mali Watkins, Black Man, For Dancing In The Street Violating First Amendment
The Alameda Police Department Officers should be fired immediately, for trying to arrest 44-year-old Mali Watkins for, excuse me, dancing in the street. Yes. I’m not kidding.
Basically, the The Alameda Police Department tried to arrest martial artist Mali Watkins for doing something that’s done regularly, all around America: dancing in the street. Think about that the next time you go to the San Francisco Pride Parade and dance in the street. Think about that the next time you hear a tune you like while crossing the street, and start dancing. Let’s see that again: Alameda Police Department Officers tried to arrest a black man for dancing in the street.
All of the Alameda Police Department Officers involved in that stupid event should be terminated, immediately.
If you watch the police body cam, it shows the Alameda Police Department Officers, themselves, explained that Watkins was accused of dancing in the street. And the officer said it with a straight face. It was the complete, crazy, example of racism as a mental illness. It never at all occurred to any one of the Alameda Police Department Officers that they were creating new material for a Saturday Night Live skit. What they did was off-the-chart psychotic and violated Watkins First Amendment rights.
What’s the First Amendment? It’s this: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Basically, the Alameda Police Department could owe Watkins $5 million in damages for arresting him. Where did I get that from? That’s what the New York Police Department wound up being sued for by Alexandre Nzebele in 2016.
As it happens according to The New York Post, Alexandre Nzebele was making a video for Ellen Degeneres’ “Dance Dare” challenge. The NYPD took issue just because he was dancing behind them, and arrested him. Nzebele filed a $5 million claim, and even though he took home $33,000, he won the lawsuit as the NYPD settled for that amount.
Here’s the lawsuit case details:
Nzebele v. City of New York et al
Case number 15CV00851
Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
Incident location: New York (Manhattan)
Plaintiff filing lawsuit Alexandre Nzebele, black male
Incident date: December 24, 2014 (Yep, Christmas Eve)
Outcome: settled for $33,500.
Ok, Mr. Watkins, I’ve given you the tools to get your legal day in the sun. Go for it.
Meanwhile, the Alameda City Manager and the Mayor of Alameda should make a Mali Watkins Day and hold a block party, complete with dancing in the street, and right where he was arrested! It would be a great way to help the residents of Alameda, many who tried to stop the Alameda Police from arresting Mali, gain some emotional heeling after witnessing a total nutcase event.
In fact, the Alameda Police should be order to dance “YMCA” and do the Macarana, in uniform, at Mali Watkins’ party.
Stay tuned.
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