Journalist Johnathan Choe shared a video on Twitter of a shirtless man beating an unoccupied police SUV with a bat. The officer to whom the car appears to belong approached and dealt with the man in an extremely calm manner.
Choe tweeted, “BAT MAN IN SEATTLE: Look at this maniac trying to obliterate an SPD cruiser in downtown Seattle. What’s even more incredible is the patience being exhibited by this officer. In any other city, bat dude faces a more forceful response. Is this city going too soft on crime?”
In the video, a shirtless man is seen beating the cruiser with a bat, screaming some words that can’t be understood. It appears that something was been placed across the windshield of the police car but the writing can not be made out in the video.
“I am calling you out you little b*tch,” the shirtless man yelled as he adjusted his pants. He then walked over to what appeared to be his red car and put a baseball cap on and grabbed something out of his car. You can then hear a police officer say, “Step over here.” The man started to comply and the officer added, “Drop the bat.” The man appeared slightly confused and the officer added, “Just drop it”. The man then bent down and dropped the bat by his back tire.
The officer then told the man “Sit down on the curb”. The man then asked if he could sit on the front of his car and the officer allows it. The officer shrugged at the man and asked, “What’s going on man?” The man pointed to the officer’s vehicle and responded, “You can read that can’t you? That’s what’s going on.” The video then panned over to the cruiser and ended.
The shirtless man was surprisingly given a lot of leeway, with being allowed to beat the cop car and then being allowed to sit on the front of the car. It is unclear if he was known by the officer, but it appeared the officer was trying to keep the situation calm with a man that seemed to be unhinged.
Choe presents an interesting question, “In any other city, bat dude faces a more forceful response. Is this city going too soft on crime?” Are Seattle law enforcement officers hands tied? Are they being mandated to allow craziness to ensue inside the city? This video seems to suggest that may be the case.
The incident is a sad reminder of the growing anti-police sentiment in the United States. In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile cases of police officers using excessive force, which has led to a loss of trust between many communities and law enforcement.
This loss of trust is dangerous for both police officers and the communities they serve. When people no longer trust the police, they are less likely to cooperate with investigations or report crimes. This can make it more difficult for police to keep communities safe.
The man who beat the police car with a bat is a clear example of the dangers of anti-police sentiment.
It is important to remember that the vast majority of police officers are good people who are dedicated to serving their communities. They put their lives on the line every day to protect us, and they deserve our respect.
We need to work to rebuild trust between police and communities. This can be done by increasing transparency and accountability in law enforcement, as well as by working to address the root causes of crime.
If we can do this, we can create a safer and more just society for everyone.
