On January 22, an 18-year-old high school senior was forcibly
removed from a Metro train by an LAPD sergeant for having her foot on a seat. The incident, which was captured by a bystander in a now viral video, ended with the teen, Bethany Renee Nava, being arrested for being loud and boisterous.
One look at the video, and it is abundantly clear that this was a case of excessive force and an absolute abuse of power. Please sign this petition demanding that Police Chief Charlie Beck fire Sergeant Hutchings immediately!According to the LAPD, Nava violated Metro's customer code of conduct by placing her foot on a seat. However, in a claim filed over this incident, Nava says that she put her foot on the ground after Hutchings told her to, and then when he left, she put it on her own thigh. At that point, Hutchings returned and the situation escalated.
When asked what law she is breaking, the sergeant tells Nava, "There doesn't need to be a law, you're disobeying me."In the video, you can see the sergeant violently yanking Nava off the train by the wrist.
When she tells him, "You can't touch me like that," he replies, "I can touch you all I want." Once off the train, he continues to use force against her. Several bystanders can be seen and heard protesting the arrest, including another young woman who also ends up getting arrested.
Sign now, and let's make sure Sergeant Hutchings is no longer able to violate innocent people's rights anymore!