Breaking news today as University of California, Los Angeles student newspaper The Daily Bruin is reporting that an unidentified student was repeatedly tasered by UCPD officers last night in the schools Powell library when he failed to produce the proper identification during a random ID sweep. According to report, when the student failed to produce his BruinCard, officers at first left the library, but returned en force as the victim was leaving the facility. The police then attempted to forcibly remove the student, and when they encountered resistance, they shot him with their tasers. The incident, which occurred around 11:30 last night, was captured on video by a student citizen journalist using their camera phone. The graphic video, which is available for viewing on the Daily Bruin site, depicts the student attempting to peacefully leave the premises and the horrific abuse of power which ensues.
Onlookers repeatedly asked the officers to cease what was obviously excessive force, and were warned that they too would be tased when asking for the officers badge numbers.
The UCLA Daily Bruin provides a full report of the incident as well as ongoing coverage.
[via BoingBoing]
Update: The student has been identified as 23 year old Mostafa Tabatabainejad.
We’ve got a discussion going on over on the podcast about implications for new media as well.
http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/2006/11/16/the-power-of-ubiquitous-media/
Thanks for the coverage.
I hate this so much. This is wrong on so many levels.
In other news, stop running wordpress, drupal is cooler