CAIR-NY Condemns Syracuse PD ‘Cruel’ Treatment of 10-Year-Old Black Child
Civil rights group calls for disciplinary action against officers involved
(NEW YORK, N.Y. 4/19/2022)—The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), the nation’s leading Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the “cruel” treatment by three male Syracuse Police Department officers of a 10-year-old Black child for allegedly stealing a bag of chips.
According to a video posted online by a concerned citizen, three Syracuse Police Department officers are seen taking the child into custody. Officers place the child in a patrol vehicle as he cries uncontrollably. Bystanders plead with the officers to walk the boy to his parents and even offer to pay for the chips. One officer says the children in the neighborhood lack discipline.
The Syracuse Police Department issued a statement saying it is aware of the video and that the officers’ actions are being reviewed. Police say no charges were filed against the boy.
In a statement, CAIR-NY Legal Director Ahmed Mohamed said:
“We condemn the cruel and traumatic treatment of this 10-year-old Black child by the Syracuse Police Department. This entire interaction was unreasonable. It is actions like this that lead large swaths of the population to distrust law enforcement.
“The Syracuse PD thought it was a good use of resources to dispatch three officers to detain a 10-year-old. This is no way to treat a young child, and there is no excuse of the officers’ conduct.
“Simply put, this is state sanctioned child abuse. We know all too well that these officers would have treated the situation differently if they were interacting with a white child from a rich neighborhood. Syracuse PD must investigate these officers and issue immediate disciplinary actions.”
Mohamed also expressed support for the boy and his family. He also thanked bystanders for using their constitutionally protected right to video tape law enforcement.
CAIR-NY’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-NY es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Afaf Nasher, Esq., CAIR-NY Executive Director, CAIR-NY, 917-669-4006, anasher@cair.com; Ahmed Mohamed, CAIR-NY Legal Director, 646-481-2103, ahmedmohamed@cair.com