Protests over the murder of George Floyd by Officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis last week have spread across the country. In many parts of the country, police departments have responded with more violence. In almost every city holding protests, police have escalated tensions and violence with tear gas, rubber bullets, flash grenades, and old fashioned beatings. Journalists are under attack. And Donald Trump is threatening to send the military in to attack his own citizens.
That is likely why this footage of an officer actually intervening to stop an escalating situation has been so widely circulated. It’s very rare to see a cop doing the right thing right now.
The scene took place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to Local 10, and it shows a young woman kneeling peacefully when a white male officer identified as Steven Pohorence attempts to shove her to the ground.
It seems like he is going to do worse when another officer, a black woman, pushes him away and appears to be yelling at him as he backs off. What she is saying can’t be heard, but she is certainly expressive.
Black cop save protester who was on their knees and he pushed ‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/Kj7KAwOuP3
— IllustriousCeo (@illustriousCeo) June 1, 2020
Pohorence has been suspended without pay, Chief of Police Rick Maglione said.
“While it wasn’t resulting in injury, it obviously needs to be looked into,” Maglione told reporters. “If disciplinary action needs to be taken, it will. And it will be swift and corrective in nature. I also want to commend the other officers that were there for identifying there was an issue rather quickly and separating the parties. And that’s what they should do when they see something that they don’t feel is right, or an interaction that they feel is going south.”
And actions like Pohorence’s do escalate the situation as you can see the crowd’s reaction as he’s pulled away:
This is what started the uproar in Fort Lauderdale… so fucking uncalled for. makes me sick. pic.twitter.com/H6mQtlY0Yl
— miya (@thickliljawn) May 31, 2020
One cop doing the right thing after another cop does the wrong thing isn’t a sufficient chain of protection for the people they’re policing, however. If it were, protestors wouldn’t be getting gassed in Lafayette Park as the president goes for a stroll.