Jay-Z's Team ROC Calls for Dismissal of Charges Against Peaceful Protester Arrested in Charleston

In a video that has since gone viral, peaceful protester Givionne "Gee" Jordan Jr. was arrested in Charleston, South Carolina during a demonstration. 

police in riot gear
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Image via Getty/Jose Luis Magana

police in riot gear

In a video that has since gone viral, peaceful protester Givionne "Gee" Jordan Jr. was arrested in Charleston, South Carolina during a demonstration. The disturbing clip shows police approach peaceful protesters and specifically pick Jordan, a black man, from the crowd. Jay-Z's social justice arm of Roc Nation, Team ROC, has announced it will be taking action against the Charleston police for the arrest, which they have labeled "unconstitutional." 

The incident took place on June 1, and Team ROC first had its attorneys on the case as the video started to circulate on social media. Attorney Jordan Siev sent the letter to attorneys for the police department, demanding the officers responsible for the arrest be held accountable and the charges against Jordan Jr. be dropped. He has since been released on $465 bond, but he's still facing legal charges and will have to appear in court on June 16. Due to this, Team ROC's director of philanthropy Dania Diaz is putting pressure on the police.

"We are outraged by the Charleston police department's reprehensible arrest of Givionne Jordan Jr.," Diaz added in a statement. "Not to mention their dismissive response to our concerns about their conduct. Giovionne's arrest was unlawful and the Charleston police clearly violated his Constitutional right to peacfully protest. We applaud Givionne and demand that his charges are immediately dismissed."

In the response the Charleston Police department sent, the protests across the city were called an "unprecedented and violent attack by rioters." The reply did not directly address the concerns regarding Jordan Jr. or mention the charges he is facing. 

Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds later commented on the case to TMZ. "Mr. Jordan is part of an important movement that truly needs to be heard at this time, and we hope to continue to meet with him and others soon to discuss how we can work together to address the longstanding inequities that persist in our community," Reynolds said, per the outlet. "At the appropriate time, I will have the opportunity to make recommendations in these cases, and will be requesting that prosecutors exercise leniency, up to and including dismissal, as the circumstances warrant."

See the video of the incident above.

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