Some things you wouldn't even wish on your worst enemy.
South African activist Bradley Steyn knows what I'm talking about.
He was in Los Angeles to take part in a pro-BLM protest, now he's half the man he used to be.
Now he's planning on suing the LAPD according to TMZ:
Steyn detailed the horrific aftermath of allegedly being shot at close range with a rubber bullet by an LAPD officer … saying he was left with a ruptured testicle, passed out and almost bled to death in the streets.
Bloom later claimed Steyn got shot when he went to help a fellow protester, and that he received no aid for his injuries from law enforcement around him.
Steyn went on to describe a discussion he had with his daughter the night before the incident, in which he told her no matter how powerful the government or police are … we can always march peacefully to fight for our rights, and that he won't let corrupt police continue to kill people.
Bloom also called for the use of rubber bullets by the LAPD to be severely curtailed or banned, and never shot at close range.Steyn — a renowned South African anti-apartheid activist — is expected to detail his account of alleged police brutality encountered during a May 30 protest over the death of George Floyd in L.A.'s Fairfax district … and announce legal action."
While the LAPD did not go into great detail regarding the case, LA affiliate ABC7reported on their following statement:
In a written statement, the LAPD said it can't comment on the possible lawsuit. The statement reads, in part, as follows: "We are fully committed to investigating every allegation of misconduct or excessive force related to the recent protests. We have assigned 40 investigators to look into each alleged instance and will conduct a thorough investigation."
The department is currently investigating several allegations of misconduct, violations of LAPD policy and excessive force during the recent civil unrest.
"We will look into every complaint thoroughly and hold every officer accountable for their actions," the department said earlier this month, adding that 56 complaint investigations have been opened, 28 of which involved alleged uses of force."
Was Steyn just merrily protesting, minding his own business and BAM!
I can't say for sure, although it's hard to imagine there wasn't some degree of lawlessness being directed at the officers patrolling the event.
As we have seen in many cases, officers have frequently had to move to force in order to protect their own safety and the safety of public and private property in the vicinity of these gatherings.
I for one, won't pile on to poor Mr. Steyn, but I must admit, I may be in the minority.
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!