‘The incident is outrageous’: CAIR-NJ calls for police officers’ removal following Bridgewater mall fight

The New Jersey Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling for the police officers who responded to the fight between two teens at the Bridgewater Commons Mall be removed from the police department while the incident is investigated.

News 12 Staff

Feb 22, 2022, 11:32 AM

Updated 1,034 days ago

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The New Jersey Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling for the police officers who responded to the fight between two teens at the Bridgewater Commons Mall be removed from the police department while the incident is investigated.
They say, “the incident is outrageous. The disparate treatment the two teens received by the police officers highlights the blatant racism, that continues to clout the judgment of so many in law enforcement. We welcome the internal affairs investigation led by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office and hope appropriate disciplinary action is taken against the officers. There must be zero tolerance for such inappropriate behavior."
An investigation is underway into how the two police officers handled the fight that was caught on camera.
The video, which has gone viral, appears to show the officers treating two teenagers very differently following a confrontation, leading some to claim racial bias in policing.
The video posted online appears to show two younger teens in an argument that then turns physical. One of the teens is Black, and the other has lighter skin, and is believed to be Latino. They are seen arguing, pointing fingers, pushing and then punching each other.
Two police officers rush in and break up the fight. The lighter skin teen is pulled off the Black teen and allowed to sit on a nearby couch.
The officers then appear to force the Black teen face down on the ground and cuff him behind his back. One officer even appears to place her knee on the teen's neck.
The lighter skin teen is never put in handcuffs, even though at one point he appears to think he might be.
Both teens were not seriously injured.
The mayor's office and the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office are promising a thorough investigation.