Police have beat another unarmed Black man without reason. John Antoine, 86, was about to cook a bowl of soup at his home in Brooklyn, New York when he was interrupted by a gang of police officers from the NYPD. According to New York Daily, the police busted into Antoine’s home.
With a knife in one hand and an onion in the other, police viewed Antoine as a threat. Antoine asked why they were inside of his home, but instead of answering the question, they attacked Antoine, beat him, and used a taser on him twice. The used a taser on his head, which is not standard procedure, and also his leg.
The police eventually arrested Antoine and charged him with harassment for holding a knife while he was preparing soup. The officers were initially called to the home because Antoine’s granddaughter reached out to 911 because her boyfriend, 23, was suicidal. But the couple left to get medication for the young man.
But police believed that they acted appropriately by arresting and attacking Antoine. A spokesperson for the NYPD said Antoine had a knife and could have used it to stab police. However, if the police would have taken the time to communicate with the elderly citizen instead of initially treating him like a criminal, there would not have been a need to abuse and attack the man.
The laws in America have allowed police officers to react violently in situations that could easily be handled without force. Also, officers have a tendency to do whatever it takes to protect themselves and their partners when they are accused of wrongdoings. Until the nation confronts these issues, more innocent people will be attacked and killed by police.
Antoine will sue the city of New York for $5 million.
