Video footage shows a woman standing in a hallway, peacefully talking to a man next to her as well as to several police agents in the Netherlands. Then, without warning, one police officer surges towards her, bringing a dog with him.
He suddenly grabs her - roughly - and fully throws her entire body on the ground. The video appears to show her head hitting the floor first, before her back and the rest of her body, and she visibly cries out in pain. Later, they drag her away by the back of her clothing.
She was 9 months pregnant at the time.This incident escalated from 0 to 100 in a matter of seconds. And because it was all caught on video, police can't even deny that it happened.
Sign the petition to demand a thorough investigation, and for authorities to press charges against these violent officers!After police threw the woman on the ground, the man next to her - her husband - rushed forward to defend her. He was unarmed.
Police descended on him, with multiple officers coming at him from different directions, pulling him to the ground and beating both the man and his wife. He was later arrested for several days.The woman is a Syrian refugee and her husband, Wissam Miqdad, is a Palestinian refugee from Gaza. Both had traveled to the Netherlands hoping to find asylum together, as well as for their child. They had received upsetting news earlier in the day, indicating several loved ones back home may have been killed in violent attacks. As a result, Miqdad admits he became deeply agitated, leading to the police's arrival. But
video evidence clearly shows the couple were peaceful, non-violent, and cooperating with the police.Miqdad says that in the moment before police threw his wife on the ground, she had been "asking them to let her come with me [if he were to be detained], to treat me with some respect and kindness, and to take into account the situation I was going through."
People throughout the world, including in the Netherlands have been shocked and outraged by the indefensible violence they saw from police in the video. Dutch people and immigrants alike are demanding accountability. Instead, Dutch police have turned off comments on their social media sites to prevent further criticism.
Throwing a pregnant woman who was calmly speaking to officers is never, ever justifiable. There are a million ways to interact with each other - and police should be there to de-escalate situations, not to suddenly add violence.Sign the petition to demand full accountability, including an investigation and assault charges against these dangerous cops!