CAIR-NJ Joins NAACP Call for Police Officers’ Removal After Discriminatory Incident
(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 2/17/2022) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today called on the Bridgewater Police Department to remove two police officers from duty as investigators look into a brawl that resulted in a Black teen pinned to the floor in handcuffs while the white teen was apparently left alone.
The township has found itself in the center of the national controversy over police use of force after a video showing two officers breaking up a fight between two teens, one Black and one white, at Bridgewater Commons Mall over the weekend went viral.
The video has prompted the NAACP to call for the officers to be “removed” from the Bridgewater Police Department pending an investigation by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
SEE: After Bridgewater Commons mall fight, NAACP calls for police officers’ removal
In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:
“The incident is outrageous. The disparate treatment the two teens received by the police officers highlights the blatant racism that continues to clout the judgment of so many in law enforcement.
“Our office echoes calls made by the NAACP New Jersey State Conference for the immediate removal of the officers pending an investigation.
“We welcome the internal affairs investigation led by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, and hope appropriate disciplinary action is taken against the officers. There must be zero tolerance for such inappropriate behavior.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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