PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA — A police officer was lauded on social media after he was caught on camera smacking a Black Lives Matter protester — who was white — at a police brutality rally.
Seth Taylor, a three-year member of the Wilkinsburg Police Department, was snapped confronting the protester at the Saturday, April 16 rally in the Pittsburgh suburb of Wilkinsburg. Video footage showed a group of demonstrators screaming at officers after the latter declared it an unlawful assembly. At one point, police were trying to apprehend a woman who was shouting obscenities when a black dress-wearing protester pushed and grabbed them. This prompted Taylor to swing a left hook at the intervening protester, and the moment was captured in a wild photo that made the rounds on social media.
A Wilkinsburg police officer strikes a protestor at the intersection of Penn Avenue and Center St during a march before arresting them and putting them in the back of a Edgewood police vehicle. @PGHCityPaper pic.twitter.com/6tYXe2WFLU
— Jared Wickerham (@WickPhoto) April 16, 2022
Meanwhile, video footage from the scene also showed police holding back a K9 officer from the downed protester, who screamed from the ground, “You’re a f***ing pig!”
The protester in question, who stumbled while being led away in cuffs and continued to complain, was later identified by City Paper as Vuestro Merced. Following the arrest, one hysterical protester screamed at the officers that “this is what people do to fight for black people, and this is what these pigs do in the street.” Merced was later seen in a photo shared by a local activist to show they were “out and safe” and were asking for donations. It’s unclear if any charges had been filed.
Photog Wickerham had previously shared a series of videos documenting the small rally, which was held to demand justice for Jim Rogers, a 54-year-old black man who died last October hours after Pittsburg police tased him eight times. Five of the eight officers involved were fired, while the other three were allowed to resume their jobs.
Nonetheless, social media was inundated with praises for officer Taylor after he clocked Merced at the rally.
“I LOVE IT –watch these Cops bust a bunch of FREAKS who are Blocking Roads and causing CHAOS. The cops “keep their cool” as they effect totally JUSTIFIED arrests. (I hope they also got that horrible LOUD woman),” Newsmax host Greg Kelly tweeted.
“BEST THING I’VE SEEN IN TWO YEARS,” one Twitter user wrote. “Black cop delivers a well-earned punch to white BLM protestor. A friend yells ‘You are hurting THEM!!’ Reporter says he likes Turtles!” they added.
“Quick!!! Everyone donate money to BLM. So they can bail these protestors out of jail and build another million-dollar mansion,” another offered.
“It’s called self-defense…we need more of it!” a comment read, adding, “Protesters scream about safe spaces, but they go into the police officers’ safe space & Spit & hit+ Everyone agrees it’s a violation of peaceful assembly. Remember where that comes from the First Amendment.”
“Those BLM radical activists should be in jail for a year without bail starting today. The @fbi should be investigating that organization right now,” someone else added.
“You can bet your last dollar that if that cop were white the “protester” lunging at the cop would not be mentioned and the picture would be of the protester when he was in 8th grade,” another chimed in.
It’s called self-defense morons @nypost, we need more of it! Protesters scream about safe spaces, but they go into the police officers’ safe space & Spit & hit+ Everyone agrees it’s a violation of peaceful assembly Remember where that comes from the First Amendment
— Mr. Daily Pretzel🔎💻🌐📰👲🚲🗞️ (@TheDailyPretzel) April 20, 2022
*story by meaww.com
