In Jacksonville, police are being accused of arresting and beating the wrong man in response to a report of a fight on Christmas Eve. They then arrested family members who say that were just trying to stop police from beating their relative. Daisy Besancourt, 57, was charged with failure to disperse on command, after she reportedly filmed the police and refused to turn off her phone.



Recently, in a column, I discussed the continued crackdown by some police officers on citizens who film them in public. Citizens have a right to film police officers in public. Often we see police officers allege that such filming is “interfering” with their carrying out of their duties — a highly questionable charge in circumstances of alleged abuse.

Family members in this case insist that police focused on the wrong man and proceeded to tackle him, pepper spray him, and try to taser him.

Jonathan Guiterrez told the media that police mis-identified his 16-year-old son, Hector, based on his clothing and that they immediately tackled him. When his cousin Ruperto stepped in, he says that Ruperto was beaten with a baton. The melee ensued with a score of arrests.

The arrest of Daisy Besancourt for failure to disperse on command is particularly suspicious and demands investigation. She says that she refused to turn off her camera and that the police proceeded to confiscate it and arrest her.

I have tried to find an account from police who deserve to be heard on such allegations. However, there is only a statement that the matter is under investigation.

Source: WCTii12 as first seen on Reddit.

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