By Alisha Dixon
Civil rights activists have issued a travel warning for the city of Eastpointe after a recording showing the beating of Frankie Taylor by the city’s officers was released.
In 2005, Taylor was arrested and accused for drunk driving. The alleged incident, he said, occurred at an Eastpointe police station. Taylor said the beating was so severe that he almost lost an eye.
“The guy hit me so many times, it made me cry once I seen the tape. I was knocked out … I don’t feel like I was a threat to the officers to the point that they had to hit me until I was unconscious,” Taylor said.
Taylor was charged with resisting and drunk driving, but agreed to a plea deal.
Eastpointe’s Public Safety Director John McNeilanc has agreed to meet with activists Sam Riddle and Reverend W.J. Rideout Wednesday to discussion the incident and what Riddle and Rideout believed is systemic racism at play within the department.
“This is a hateful time in America where people of color are in a constant state of fear regarding inhumane treatment at the hands of racist officers with a badge and gun that are sworn to uphold not violate the law,” Rideout said. “You can’t beat a dog in America and get away with it. Yet racist cops like the Eastpointe, Michigan police department have made beating Black Americans standard operating procedure with no consequences.”
Eastpointe, Riddle said, is too dangerous for African Americans to travel in.
“The National Action Network strongly warns U.S. citizens against travel to Eastpointe,” he said in a statement. “The ability of Eastpointe authorities to maintain order and ensure the security of American citizens and visitors is limited.”
A federal lawsuit has been filed against the Eastpointe Police Department.
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