Video shows Pennsylvania police officer with knee on black man’s neck during arrest
A video of an Allentown police officer with his knee a man’s neck has prompted demonstrations. A driver passing by captured a video of the arrest on Saturday afternoon.
The video shows three officers — one who holds down the man whose face is against the pavement while another kneels on the man’s neck, a similar hold that led to the death of George Floyd during May in Minneapolis.
BREAKING:@AllentownPolice were filmed Saturday evening applying the same force to a resident that the cops used to murder #GeorgeFloyd.
This happened here in #Allentown outside a hospital.
We demand answers. We demand change.
We're Done Dying.#DefundThePolice pic.twitter.com/AbuyvkMNdT— Black Lives Matter to Lehigh Valley (@BLMlehighvalley) July 12, 2020
Allentown police have not released the man’s identity or information as to what led up to the incident. But the police department recently banned the use of chokeholds and other neck restraints after the death of George Floyd.
In response to the incident, about 100 protesters embarked on Black Lives Matter protests on Saturday night in Allentown, WFMZ reported. Both Allentown’s Mayor Ray O’Connell and Police Chief Glenn Grannitz reportedly showed up at that protests to ease tensions.
Ben Crump, the attorney representing George Floyd’s family, wrote on Twitter, “@AllentownPolice held down this man’s face to the pavement and then one of its officers placed their knee on his neck!! This happened yesterday and is exactly what led to #GeorgeFloyd’s death. We need this officer’s name and badge # NOW. #ICantBreathe”
