Video Shows What Listening to Loud Music Looks Like in a Police State
Syracuse, NY — In the land of the free, any number of innocent actions — which millions of people do every day — can get you ticketed, arrested, beaten or even killed. For walking across the street improperly police will beat you. For dark window tint, police may kill you. And, as the following incident proves, for playing loud music, police will drag you from your car, beat, and arrest you. All of this violence, brutality, and death almost always stems from officers "fearing for their lives."
Shaolin Moore, 23, was playing his music loudly last Friday. It was not the middle of the night and he wasn't harming anyone, but police targeted him anyway. Instead of issuing Moore a ticket for loud music, a now viral cell phone video shows cops drag him from the car, throw him on the ground and beat the hell out of him.
As the video shows, Moore is sitting in the driver's seat of the car when police demand he exit the vehicle. Clearly confused as to why he is being forced from his vehicle for loud music, Moore asks why he is being told to do so.
Because he didn't immediately prostrate himself before these officers, it caused them to "fear for their safety," so violence was used against the non-violent Moore.
When police drag the man from his car and begin beating him, the passenger leans over to film it. This clearly enraged one of the officers who darted to the other side of the vehicle to stop the passenger from filming.
As the video shows, the officer did not want to be identified on the video, so he covered his badge number as he walked over to stop the passenger from filming. He then rips the phone from the innocent man's hands and arrests him as well.
Naturally, police claim the violence was necessary because they thought Moore had a gun.
As CNYCentral reports:
Officers asked Moore to get out of the vehicle to be searched. When he refused, officers "physically removed Moore from the vehicle and used force to place him into custody".
Buske writes that when he was grabbing Moore from the car, Moore quickly "reached towards the front of his waistband." Then, when Moore was on the ground, Buske says that he observed him "laying on his stomach with his hands and arms tucked in between his midsection and the ground."
Buske says he was unable to see Moore's hands, and struck Moore's head 2-3 times "in an attempt to distract him and get his arms behind his back" after he refused verbal commands.
There were no weapons in the vehicle, and Moore and his passenger were both unarmed.
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After the incident and the subsequent viral video of it, the Syracuse police department claimed they would review what happened.
"We have seen the use of force video involving our officers circulating the internet. As with all use of force incidents, the matter is being reviewed," the department Tweeted on June 1.
“I recognize the concerns that have been raised by the community and I want to assure the community that under Department protocol, when officers use force, including this time, we complete a thorough investigation,” Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner said around noon Monday in a prepared statement.
“The officers continue to be in service and will be interviewed as part of the review,” the chief said.
Nitch Jones, a local activist, who was not in the video but posted it to his Facebook page, says he is not waiting for the police review and he's since filed a complaint on behalf of Moore and the passenger.
Jones told Syracuse.com that he’s filed a complaint with the city’s Citizen Review Board, which will investigate and potentially recommend officer discipline. He filed it on behalf of the people in the video, he said.
"Imagine driving down the street in a very urban neighborhood that is known for crime, drugs, and violence with loud music and being pulled over by the police. Officer(s) approach your vehicle ask for license and registration. CAR is legal, ID is legal. “What more do you need officer(s)?” STEP OUT OF THE CAR! “Why”? If the car is being pulled over for loud music - issue an appearance ticket and allow the car to proceed with a stern verbal warning. Nope, not on Friday evening," Nitch wrote in a Facebook post.
For now, the community is planning a silent protest on Friday evening. We will update this story when more details emerge.
Below is a video showing what listening to loud music in a police state looks like.
