April 6, 2016

Brutality of Sureshbhai Patel

57-year-old Patel was visiting his son in Alabama from India. A neighbor saw him standing in front of the family home and called the police to report "suspcious behavior." Patel, who does not speak any English, was confused by the situation. The police slammed the man on the ground within 90 seconds of arrival. He suffered severe injuries and is now partially paralyzed as a result.

HOW DOES THIS CONNECT TO STRUCTURAL RACISM?:

The neighbor who called the police described Patel as a "skinny black man wearing a toboggan." Patel's proximity to blackness made him "suspcious"; another example racial profiling followed by excessive force, both of which are common in law enforcement incidents.

For more the Sureshbhai Patel case see, " Police Chief Guilty of Contempt in Surshbhai Patel Excessive Force Case "