Release The Lawyers And The Offended: Danièle Watts Has Been Handcuffed
ACTRESS Danièle Watts (Django Unchained, Weeds) was stopped by police in Studio City USA for kisisng her boyfreind. Police requested her ID. She refused. Why should she hadn her ‘papers’ over? Police then put her into their vehicle. She was handcuffed.
She says the cuffs hurt her wrist.
She writes:
“Today I was handcuffed and detained by 2 police officers from the Studio City Police Department after refusing to agree that I had done something wrong by showing affection, fully clothed, in a public place. When the officer arrived, I was standing on the sidewalk by a tree. I was talking to my father on my cell phone. I knew that I had done nothing wrong, that I wasn’t harming anyone, so I walked away. A few minutes later, I was still talking to my dad when 2 different police officers accosted me and forced me into handcuffs.”
Her boyfriend, Chef Brian James Lucas adds:
“Today, Daniele Watts & I were accosted by police officers after showing our affection publicly. From the questions that he asked me as D was already on her phone with her dad, I could tell that whoever called on us (including the officers), saw a tatted RAWKer white boy and a hot bootie shorted black girl and thought we were a HO (prostitute) & a TRICK (client).”
Racism? The black woman is a hooker; the white man her trick?
Says Watts:
“I remembered the countless times my father came home frustrated or humiliated by the cops when he had done nothing wrong. I felt his shame, his anger, and my own feelings of frustration for existing in a world where I have allowed myself to believe that “authority figures” could control my BEING… my ability to BE!!!!!!!”
So says the actress.
But is it racism?
Variety says officers didn’t officially arrest Watts. The only record of the incident is in the form of photgraphs now all over the web.
The LAPD calls the matter ”Actress Generates Radio Call After Citizen Calls 9-1-1″. They repsoinded to a call that “involved in indecent exposure inside a Silver Mercedes with the vehicle door open”.
This story could run. But one thing is certain: in American everyone wasnta alice of the action. The couple have been in contact with 3 lawyers, the ACLU, and the NAACP.
Spotter: Gawker, Daniele Watts
Posted: 16th, September 2014 | In: Celebrities Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
