Whitey Ford
03-25-2020, 01:59 PM
Wood River officer made black men leave Walmart because they wore masks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=rtgUMDzG1V0&feature=emb_title
A recent YouTube video showed two young African-American men with surgical masks being followed by a Wood River Police officer as they left Walmart in Wood River. Viewers were at odds whether the men were racially profiled or causing a disturbance — as well as if anyone should be asked to remove a surgical mask in light of COVID-19 concerns.
The video, which first aired March 18, has more than 30,000 views. Jermon Best, of Belleville, who made the video, said he shared it because he wanted to show the world racial profiling is happening and the situation could have been much worse.
“I don’t know this guy personally,” said Best, who posted the video under the name Halo Dale. “We just want to shine some light because this happens so often.”
Best and another man in the video, Diangelo Jackson of Wood River, described the situation as “terrifying” and said they felt like they were “prey” being stalked by the officer who approached them and said a Wood River city ordinance prohibits people from wearing masks in businesses.
“Being a young African-American male, it’s kind of hard when you interact with the police because you don’t know what state of mind they’re in,” said Best.
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Video-Wood-River-officer-has-men-leave-Walmart-15154393.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=rtgUMDzG1V0&feature=emb_title
A recent YouTube video showed two young African-American men with surgical masks being followed by a Wood River Police officer as they left Walmart in Wood River. Viewers were at odds whether the men were racially profiled or causing a disturbance — as well as if anyone should be asked to remove a surgical mask in light of COVID-19 concerns.
The video, which first aired March 18, has more than 30,000 views. Jermon Best, of Belleville, who made the video, said he shared it because he wanted to show the world racial profiling is happening and the situation could have been much worse.
“I don’t know this guy personally,” said Best, who posted the video under the name Halo Dale. “We just want to shine some light because this happens so often.”
Best and another man in the video, Diangelo Jackson of Wood River, described the situation as “terrifying” and said they felt like they were “prey” being stalked by the officer who approached them and said a Wood River city ordinance prohibits people from wearing masks in businesses.
“Being a young African-American male, it’s kind of hard when you interact with the police because you don’t know what state of mind they’re in,” said Best.
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Video-Wood-River-officer-has-men-leave-Walmart-15154393.php