(YouTube)
Celebrities are expressing outrage over the assault at Spring Valley High, in which a police officer was captured on camera violently placing a student under arrest. If so inclined, the disturbing video can be watched below.
The incident took place at a Columbia, South Carolina school on Monday, with videos of the altercation going viral within hours. The footage shows a white officer identified as Ben Fields grabbing a female black student sitting in a desk. Fields’ force causes the desk to topple over with the young girl still in it. He then drags her across the room and announces he’s placing her under arrest.
According to reports, the officer, who is posted at Spring Valley, had been called to the classroom because the student was allegedly being unruly. When she supposedly refused to leave the room, Fields used aggressive force. It’s additionally been reported that a second student was arrested for attempting to intervene.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department says Fields, a deputy and the school’s resource officer, has been placed on administrative leave as the situation is investigated. The status of the two students who were arrested is unclear. It’s also not known if the assaulted student suffered any injuries.
The hashtag “#AssaultAtSpringValleyHigh” became a top trending topic in the U.S. by Monday evening as the video clips surfaced on Twitter. Among those who watched was Octavia Spencer, who tweeted afterward, “I can’t unsee what I just saw.” Similarly bothered was Olivia Wilde, who wrote, “Disgusting and shameful.”
An angry Cher also posted, “Teen girl in classrm thrown around like rag doll.Every1 on TV saying“we can’t see what she did b4 video”Who gives a flying Fk!! She’s a CHILD.” The incident is the latest in a string of police brutality cases that have garnered attention over the last year. The videos can be seen below. Warning: The content is upsetting.
wistv.com – Columbia, South Carolina
