Unjustified allegations against the police on Facebook
Unjustified allegations against the police on Facebook
Laatste update:
26-01-2017 | 12:54
The Hague - The story of a 30 year old American, employed at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, about her arrest is currently circulating via social media. The police in The Hague feels it's important to respond to this incident and is strongly distancing itself from the woman's
unjust allegations. CCTV images have recorded the entire incident.
Patrolling officers were waiting for the traffic lights at the Anna Paulownastraat and Zeestraat intersection on Tuesday 24th January at approximately 09.30 hours. The camera images clearly show the woman diagonally crossing the intersection, holding onto her bike, whilst the lights are on
red. A city bus, travelling straight on from the Zeestraat through a green light, narrowly misses her.
Camera Images
The officers spoke to the woman from their car once she had reached the pavement, but, as can be seen on the images, the woman soon turns her head after a brief response and continues on her way. The officers drove up to the woman and got out of the car in order to speak to her about her
behaviour. The images show they spent some time talking to the woman. The officers reiterated their concerns about the woman's dangerous traffic behaviour and asked for her identification. She wasn't able to produce this and subsequently wanted to walk away. The camera images clearly show her
intention to walk away and that the officers initially grabbed hold of her bicycle basket and subsequently held onto her hand.
Resistance
From that moment onwards the woman started to seriously resist. The images show the woman repeatedly tries to escape from the officers' grip by tearing away. She also tries to tackle one of the officers with her legs whilst shouting at bystanders. The officers, who remain visibly calm and
collected throughout the incident, eventually manage to put one handcuff on the woman. As she continued with her resistance for a significant amount of time, the officers eventually decide to put the woman in the car with just one handcuff. The intense resistance also continues once she is in
the car and the officers are therefore given permission to take the woman to the station with flashing lights and sirens.
The woman was placed in a cell at the police station after she was brought before an Acting Public Prosecutor. She was eventually only charged with not showing her identity documents when requested to do so and not for the committed resistance. A total of 1 hour and 20 minutes were spent from
initially addressing the accused and her eventual dismissal.
Police Chief files a complaint
The police emphasises the fact the woman was arrested as a result of her dangerous traffic behaviour. The woman's accusation that the incident involved racism and violent action by the police is completely unfounded. The Hague Unit's Police Chief will file a complaint with the President of the
International Court of Justice against the woman involved, as a result of her allegations against the police, whereby she has suggested there was a case of racist police brutality.