Stop Police Brutality in Philadelphia
Shock: Philadelphia cop strikes woman in the face at Puerto Rican Day parade
The video is disturbing. A woman at the Puerto Rican Day parade in Philadelphia is walking behind police officers who have their attention diverted away from her direction when a man comes into the picture and throws liquid from a bottle on the cops. As they turn around in anger, they look for the perpetrator and the woman behind them turns to see who did it, presumably having been hit with some of the water as well.
As she walks away one of the cops seems to assume that she was the one who threw the water. He takes a couple quick strides towards her and takes a huge swing with his right arm, striking her in the face with a punch or an open-handed slap, as she crumbles to the ground. Undeterred, the officer puts her in cuffs as she is taken away.
The Philadelphia Police Department opened an internal affairs investigation into the officer this morning.
Law enforcement sources identified the officer as Lt. Jonathan Josey, a 19-year veteran of the force who is currently assigned to Highway Patrol unit.
The woman was issued a citation for disorderly conduct, police said.
City Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez, a central organizer of the parade, said Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey was very upset about the incident. ”He was very concerned,” Sanchez said.
She noted that this year’s parade theme was “The Puerto Rican Woman.”
