By Matt Agorist
Mobile, AL — Residents are outraged and the NAACP has stepped up after a graphic video from inside an Alabama Waffle House has gone viral showing a violent police struggle with a young woman. During the violent encounter, the woman’s breasts were exposed.
Highlighting how unnecessary the escalation of violence was, the entire incident was sparked over plastic utensils. According to witnesses involved in the incident, 25-year-old Chikesia Clemons was inside Waffle House with a friend and had placed an order when they were told they would have to pay $0.50 extra for the plastic utensils.
After being told she would have to pay for the utensils—something that is largely available for free at most restaurants—Clemons and her friend Canita Adams questioned the charge, noting that they did not have to pay for them the night before. According to Chiquitta Clemons-Howard, Clemons’ mother, after they asked why they were being charged for the plastic utensils, the Waffle House employee canceled their order.
At that point, according to Clemons-Howard, her daughter asked for the contact information of the Waffle House district manager who is in charge of that location. “They didn’t even ask her to leave, she was waiting for them to give her the district manager’s card so she could file a complaint on one of the waitresses,” Clemons-Howard said.
When “they went to go get the card, that’s when the police showed up. The officer should’ve come in and said we need you to leave.” What happened after that was a miscarriage of justice, Clemons-Howard explained to AL.com. “The footage shows the story completely,” she said. “My nerves are very, very bad right now.”
As the video shows, Clemons quickly found herself surrounded by police. The video starts out with one officer physically grabbing Clemons as the young woman tries to explain what is going on. The video then jumps to officers throwing Clemons down. As two officers pile onto the young woman, her top comes off and her breasts are exposed, prompting Clemons to try and cover herself up.
“What are you doing?” Clemons asks at one point, to which an officer responds, “I’ll break your arm, that’s what I’m about to do.”
Eventually, Clemons is handcuffed and arrested on charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. On Sunday, the NAACP responded to the incident after they said it was shared with them multiple times.
“In light of the current situation in our country — such as the arrest of two young black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks coffee shop — we felt it was important for our members to get a first-hand account of the incident, which has now gone viral on social media locally and across the country,” Mobile NAACP President David Smith said.
“When incidents like this happen in our own backyard, it is incumbent upon the local NAACP to take a closer look and move the matter to whatever level is appropriate,” he said. The Free Thought Project contact the Saraland Police Department to get their reaction to this video and they released the following statement:
The Saraland Police Department is aware of the arrest at Waffle House and the accompanying video on social media. The situation is being thoroughly reviewed and is under active investigation right now. Our department strives for transparency and we encourage our community to be aware of current events. Saraland’s public safety director, Chief J. C. West, and the mayor are aware of the situation and are awaiting the results of the investigation. When the facts of the investigation are gathered, we will have a response.
We are the Free Thought Project — a hub for Free Thinking conversations about the promotion of liberty and the daunting task of government accountability. All of our content was created by our team of artists and writers. Learn more about us on our website thefreethoughtproject.com.
Try doing some research on the incident before spreading it to the masses. Try being unbiased also. I live in the area and have followed it since it happened. This woman was drunk and threatening the employees. She also has a long history of run ins with law enforcement. Arrested twice for DUI , one of which she had an unrestrained child in the car with her. Also, every witness told the same to investigators. She was drunk loud and threatening the employees over over plastic eating utensils. How can you spew forth this crap without knowing the facts. And the video conviently only shows her interaction with the police. Where is the video moments before before the police showed up? Why is the video in two segments? Why do all the witness's have nearly the same recount of the incident? I am not saying the Saraland police didn't get rough with her. Honestly, I think twice about driving through Saraland, Chickasaw, and Prichard every time I have to go to these areas.These are rough areas of Mobile county, residents and police alike. Free thought, sure. Baised to fit your agenda, I'd say 100%.
whether she was drunk and yelling or not, it is still excessive force. We did research the story and that was the conclusion that we came to. The woman didn't harm anyone.
We understand that people get disorderly and that provokes attacks from police, but we dont think that being disorderly is a crime
With that being said, we always appreciate input from people who are close to the situation. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
you are correct in that being disorderly is not a crime. But something that is not being talked about is what she said to the employees, and was heard by all the witnesses. she was asked to leave and told her order was cancelled that's when she said that they don't know her and don't know what she could do and that she might have a gun. with statements like that from a drunk I would call the cops too. Yes I agree the cops got rough but with statements like that, a person should expect to get roughed up by the jackboots. The four days leading up to this incident the Mobile county area had a shooting everyday-all separate incidents. The cops and the people are on edge in the area . Been very tense in the area since , I believe early last year, when a female Saraland cop was shot in the head when called to a domestic disturbance. Around these parts we call the city Scaryland for a reason
This is the part where i disagree
"Yes I agree the cops got rough but with statements like that, a person should expect to get roughed up by the jackboots."
There is not any statement in the world that i think warrants a beating, and personally I feel that this type of permission should not be afforded to police
that is why we choose to cover controversial incidents like this one
You're right to keep these types of stories in check, but TFTP and anyone else would be correct in condemming these cops, no matter how unruly these girls were. Under no circumstances except self defense does a person have a right to use violence against another. Governments could not exist without the violence or the threat of violence and the very existence of them is immoral as long as people are under physical threat against them or their property unless they pay up involuntarily.
That's funny that the cops can't handle a passive woman.
Well, when your Police receive their training from the Israelis, I guess it means that you're all Palestinians now.
How could anyone look at that video and think the cops did a good job? There should have been a fact finding with the employee and the customer and the cops. But instead, they assume guilt before they know what is going on. Cops are the corporate gustapo. This country is halfway down the cesspool and I hope we wake up before we drown.
BTW, nice job upvoting your own post.