Three Edison Tech High School students were arrested in Rochester, N.Y. while waiting for a school bus to take them to a basketball game. Their crime? Being young, black and male.
A police officer repotedly approached 17-year-old Wan'Tauhjs Weathers, 16-year-old Deaquon Carelock and 16-year-old Raliek Redd because the store next to where they were waiting was under surveillance due to previous complaints about loitering. When he told them to leave, they explained that they were waiting to be taken to a game. When he told them to leave again, they detailed why they were standing there, which still resulted in their arrest.
"We weren't catching a city bus, we were catching a yellow bus. He didn't care. He arrested us anyways," Weathers said. As they were being handcuffed, Jacob Scott—their coach—appeared, attempting to explain that he was their varsity basketball coach. The cop also threatened to arrest Scott if he didn't leave.
According to a school official, this type of harassment is common. "I'm very concerned about a pattern of young people being abused by police authority," said Mary Adams of the Rochester City School Board.
The boys were charged with obstructing the sidewalk and disorderly conduct. They'll next appear in court on Dec. 11 to enter their pleas.
[via Gawker]
