(Photo Credit: Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images)
It is a phrase that has been heard many times by black and latino citizens across the nation. A police officer coming up to you after “fitting the description of an armed robber.”
Last night (Mar 21), Wyclef Jean was the victim of such discrimination after he was temporarily put into handcuffs in Los Angeles as they looked for a suspect of a robbery around the area.
He filmed and posted the footage on social media as his encounter with law enforcement was underway after allegedly leaving the studio.
“L.A., right now, coming from the studio,” he can be heard saying. “Y’all see the police have handcuffs on me. They just took off my Haitian bandanna. That’s what’s going on right now with Wyclef in L.A. right now. The L.A.P.D. have me in cuffs for absolutely nothing.”
According to New York Times:
CBS News—in Los Angeles reported that the authorities stopped Mr. Jean around 1 a.m. Pacific time —— at a gas station on Sunset Boulevard as they were investigating a report that a suspect had robbed a person at gunpoint nearby and stolen a wallet.
The victim provided a description of the suspect’s vehicle, which the deputies said matched the vehicle Mr. Jean was in. Deputies eventually arrested the correct suspect and recovered the stolen wallet, CBS reported, and the gun used in the crime was also found.You can watch the footage below.