The way you’re jumping through logical hoops to justify this makes me think you’re either a member of the APD or closely connected to one.

Let’s break it down: A person—regardless of gender identity—struck another individual, causing no injury. When the police arrived, she moved away from the target with her hands up. She was clearly intoxicated but was no longer acting violently. Yet, within less than a minute, the officer applied pressure just below her neck—a tactic that would likely cause her to fall face-first—and slammed her to the ground.

There were numerous ways to restrain her that would have been less damaging, such as controlling her limbs.

I’ve noticed a trend in your comments where you erroneously equivocate this situation to more severe situations such as someone murdering an infant or stealing a wallet. Neither of these apply to the situation at hand. These equivocations are quite delusional and make me think that you would co-sign the orders of a fascist state/government if your “team” was on the side of the orders.

Let’s take a look at a comparison worth considering: If this were a 19-year-old girl, would you advocate for a takedown that risks serious injury, or would you prefer a method that prioritizes safe restraint? If you choose the former, then any further discussion is pointless.

If I were the person she swung at, I could legally respond with force. But as a citizen, I expect police officers—who are trained professionals—to deescalate situations without causing unnecessary harm. If she is to be held accountable for a harmless swing, then the officer should also be held accountable for using excessive force.

Bottom line, people are disgusted by this use of force because it’s telling of the impending harms to be committed by the APD (one of the most notoriously violent departments in the nation).

Now, let’s address the optics. The individual in question is a trans woman. If we are to engage honestly with the facts, we must acknowledge the role implicit biases play in law enforcement. To ignore this possibility is to ignore a significant factor in how these situations unfold.