Blind Man Accused Of Faking It Arrested On Philadelphia Plane
ONBOARD a plane from Philadelphia to Belgium, a blind man who works as a translator is being was arrested and dragged away.
The plane has been delayed, sat on the tarmac for two hours, and the man asks why – and why after two hours has no-one been given a drink.
The man is arresed. No, he cannot take hold of his white stick. The officer accuses him of faking blindness. The cop says the blind man is “resisting” being dragged from a plane.
The blind man is jailed overnight. He is not told why. He is offered no counsel. He is not read his rights. And to put the tin lid on the experience in the land of the free, he injures himself while in chokey because he didn’t have his cane.
Cantisani said he spoke with the captain, who told him the plane was having mechanical problems. He then returned to his seat. Shortly afterward, another passenger made a remark about the crew, prompting three Philadelphia Police officers to escort that man off the plane, Cantisani said.
Then, police tried to remove Cantisani as well, he said…
He said the officers yanked Cantisani from his seat and dragged him off the plane, injuring his hand, which was gripping his seat belt . Then they forced him into a wheelchair.
At one point, an officer held him “by the throat,” he said..
During the struggle with police, Cantisani said, he lost his retractable walking cane, making him unable to navigate.
Officers told him they had done the “blind test” and didn’t believe he was blind, he said.
Vanore said he knew of no “blind test” administered by police.
Spotter: Cory Doctorow
Blind interpreter detained at Philly airport says he has nightmares from arrest
Posted: 14th, May 2009 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
