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Protesters march in Connecticut over black teen's violent arrest

Protesters march in Connecticut over black teen's violent arrest

Tuesday, March 24, 2015, 08:24 GMT+7

Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of New Haven, Connecticut, on Monday following the release of a video showing a black teenaged girl being thrown to the ground by a white police officer.

The March 15 incident was the latest in a string of contentious and sometimes deadly exchanges between white police officers and members of black communities across the United States.

The 15-year-old girl, Teanadrea Cornelius, was treated for a concussion, black eyes and a fractured shoulder following her arrest during the city's St. Patrick's Day parade, her mother, Valerie Boyd, told local media.

A video of the arrest taken by a bystander surfaced on the Internet on Monday. It depicts a white police officer throwing the handcuffed girl down and slamming her head to the pavement after police responded to a call about a fight between two teenagers.

Protesters marched for several miles from the girl's home to the New Haven Police headquarters, calling for the officer to be suspended and his name released.

"We will not tolerate police officers slamming teen-aged girls to the ground," Barbara Fair, a protest organizer, said.

Speaking to the angry crowd, Police Lieutenant Herbert Sharp said the incident was under internal investigation.

Protesters vowed to stage another demonstration on Tuesday at City Hall to seeks answers to their demands from New Haven Mayor Toni Harp.

"We need accountability by police. That's what this protest is all about," said Dori Dumas, president of the local NAACP chapter.

The United States has been rocked by months of sometimes violent protests over the past year after white police officers killed unarmed black men while arresting them for petty crimes. In at least two cases, grand juries declined to bring charges against the officers, further inflaming long-simmering racial tensions.

Cornelius was arrested and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, a knife, third-degree assault, breach of peace and interfering with an officer. Police released her on a promise to appear in court.

Reuters

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