madeofmetals:

This is the video. The cops had been pushing us back, back, in a line, driving people out. We were behind the police line until a cop stared at me filming from behind them and went, “You- other side. Now. Get over there.”

Sara and I were with young people on the other side, a very small group. There were two young Latina mothers with babies in strollers. 

The cops pointed their high beams at me. When I moved, they moved.  They kept their spotlight on me which is why in the opposite angle of the photos taken from people on the other side of the line, I’m a blur of white. They tried to obscure the shot and I tried to film with one hand and block the light with the other. I started filming the girl as she teased the cops because fuck, I hoped my camera would be a conscience, I hoped they wouldn’t hurt her.

They dealt with me by separating me. They split their line- tackled her tiny body to the ground. 

They came after me. They grabbed me. I was shoved, and one cop grabbed me hard enough to leave a mark on my wrist. There’s a time in the video when I’m holding my hand in front of the shot to block the light, and he’s to the right of my pinky. They tried to pull me to the ground. I yanked my arms free and kept filming. I walked back. 

I got footage of them pulling one of the young mothers to the ground as she was saying “I’m leaving!! I’m leaving,” and cooperating.

I got footage of the other young mother wheeling both strollers away. 

I found Sara in the parking lot and she said they’d pointed rubber bullet guns at the group she was in, and that she’d heard firing elsewhere. She said the people she was with scattered when the guns were pointed at them.

Sara and I stood in the parking lot and I kept filming until a group of five cops started coming towards us and then we started running, back to the car.

This is ridiculous and I’m really glad you’re both safe. I have a terrible track record with cops and watching this just makes me mad. I don’t understand how the words “protect and serve” can get so ungodly twisted.

(Source: handaxe)