The video of a street vendor violently being arrested by motorcycle officer in California has triggered anger against the officer on social media. When the female street vendor Juanita Mendez-Medrano, 52, was selling flowers without any permit to people who were attending High School graduation ceremony at the Perristhe Perris on 6 June as reported by Xinhua news agency. The video footage was released on social media which shows the conflict between Mendez-Medrano and the officer which triggered uproar.
According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the video did not capture the officer’s efforts to convince Mendez-Medrano to remove her stall. “During periods of traffic congestion, our officers saw numerous street vendors walking into traffic to sell products to people. Due to the obvious traffic safety concerns, our officers contacted multiple street vendors found to be vending without a permit,” said a statement. But a witness said the vendors were not creating unsafe conditions by walking into traffic.
Authorities said that unlike other vendors this female vendor refused to provide her name and tried to walk away from the officer. An officer then attempted to arrest the woman.”Why do you do this to us?” Medrano can be heard yelling in Spanish to the officer in the video. “We’re living our life.”the video has struck controversy on social media.
“Honestly, watching this puts a hole in my chest. Instead of arresting drug dealers, gangbangers, he’s arresting a lady selling flowers,” wrote Twitter user Jent.”I’m saddened by the brutality for the poor woman selling flowers. She should be compensated for her extremely traumatic treatment,” wrote Facebook user Felix Cortes. Some voices, however, supported the police action.
