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I blew this up and watched it several times. What it looks like happened is the woman was walking up to see what was going on, someone behind her sprayed water up in the air which hit the cops, AND her, she turns around to see where it came from then looks back at the police right as they turn around, and they immediately assume it was her. Then, kerblam-o.
Cell phone video that show a woman being struck by a police officer at the Festival de la Americas following the Philadelphia Puerto Rican Day Parade is getting thousands of views on YouTube and is generating comments and questions about the officer’s actions.
The video shows several police officers at Sunday's festival and a crowd of people. The woman, identified as Aida Guzman of Chester, Pa., is hit by one of the officers and falls to the ground.
Photos: Officer Strikes Woman
"You only see one vantage point, but what you do see is disturbing, I have to be honest about that" said Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross.
The incident happened near 5th and Lehigh streets in North Philadelphia, after the parade on the Parkway. Parade organizers say they had nothing to do with the North Philadelphia event. Officials say Guzman was spraying silly string at officers involved in a traffic stop.
"The guy was out there spinning wheels and burning up tires in the middle of the highway, which is not normal. And we're out there to make sure that stopped. As we're doing it, things are being thrown, liquids are being tossed, substances being sprayed from a can" says Fraternal Order of Police president John McNesby.
Guzman was cited for disorderly conduct. Her face was bleeding as officers took her away. She doesn't speak much English, but tells NBC10 "I feel angry, very angry. I go to someplace, got a good time and look this happen, for no reason".
Philadelphia police confirm the officer involved in the incident is Lt. Jonathan Josey. Josey has been with the department for more than 17 years and is a decorated supervisor with the Highway Patrol. He is now on administrative duty.
Officer Josey's History
Internal Affairs is investigating the incident, according to police. The FOP says it will defend Josey "to the end." McNesby said officers don't know what's being thrown at them, it has been bleach and urine in the past. He cautioned people not to judge the incident by a small clip of video.
Lt. Josey has made headlines before. He was exonerated in the shooting death of a Philadelphia man shortly after the man robbed a convenience store in Lower Merion in March 2010.
In July 2010, Lt. Josey was stabbed in the back while trying to break up a fight outside a West Philadelphia bar.
The executive director of Concilio, which puts on the parade every year, called on police to fully investigate:
"While thousands of people celebrated at Concilio’s Puerto Rican Day Parade on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, an unexplainable incident was taking place at a community-run activity in North Philadelphia.
While we have no knowledge of what led to the incident, it is clear from the video that a police officer unnecessarily and brutally struck a woman in the face.
One of the reasons for Concilio’s founding 50 years ago was to combat police brutality such as the assault shown in this video. Even as we celebrate the tremendous advancements of Philadelphia’s Hispanic community over the decades, we cannot overlook this episode. We call on the Philadelphia Police Department to fully investigate and take appropriate action.
We thank the thousands of citizens who came out and celebrated Puerto Rican heritage at our very special event on the Parkway, but we cannot fully celebrate until incidents such as this assault in North Philadelphia never happen again."
If you witnessed the incident, police want to talk to you. Call Internal Affairs at 215-685-5056.
Cell phone video that show a woman being struck by a police officer at the Festival de la Americas following the Philadelphia Puerto Rican Day Parade is getting thousands of views on YouTube and is generating comments and questions about the officer’s actions.
The video shows several police officers at Sunday's festival and a crowd of people. The woman, identified as Aida Guzman of Chester, Pa., is hit by one of the officers and falls to the ground.
Photos: Officer Strikes Woman
"You only see one vantage point, but what you do see is disturbing, I have to be honest about that" said Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross.
The incident happened near 5th and Lehigh streets in North Philadelphia, after the parade on the Parkway. Parade organizers say they had nothing to do with the North Philadelphia event. Officials say Guzman was spraying silly string at officers involved in a traffic stop.
"The guy was out there spinning wheels and burning up tires in the middle of the highway, which is not normal. And we're out there to make sure that stopped. As we're doing it, things are being thrown, liquids are being tossed, substances being sprayed from a can" says Fraternal Order of Police president John McNesby.
Guzman was cited for disorderly conduct. Her face was bleeding as officers took her away. She doesn't speak much English, but tells NBC10 "I feel angry, very angry. I go to someplace, got a good time and look this happen, for no reason".
Philadelphia police confirm the officer involved in the incident is Lt. Jonathan Josey. Josey has been with the department for more than 17 years and is a decorated supervisor with the Highway Patrol. He is now on administrative duty.
Officer Josey's History
Internal Affairs is investigating the incident, according to police. The FOP says it will defend Josey "to the end." McNesby said officers don't know what's being thrown at them, it has been bleach and urine in the past. He cautioned people not to judge the incident by a small clip of video.
Lt. Josey has made headlines before. He was exonerated in the shooting death of a Philadelphia man shortly after the man robbed a convenience store in Lower Merion in March 2010.
In July 2010, Lt. Josey was stabbed in the back while trying to break up a fight outside a West Philadelphia bar.
The executive director of Concilio, which puts on the parade every year, called on police to fully investigate:
"While thousands of people celebrated at Concilio’s Puerto Rican Day Parade on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, an unexplainable incident was taking place at a community-run activity in North Philadelphia.
While we have no knowledge of what led to the incident, it is clear from the video that a police officer unnecessarily and brutally struck a woman in the face.
One of the reasons for Concilio’s founding 50 years ago was to combat police brutality such as the assault shown in this video. Even as we celebrate the tremendous advancements of Philadelphia’s Hispanic community over the decades, we cannot overlook this episode. We call on the Philadelphia Police Department to fully investigate and take appropriate action.
We thank the thousands of citizens who came out and celebrated Puerto Rican heritage at our very special event on the Parkway, but we cannot fully celebrate until incidents such as this assault in North Philadelphia never happen again."
If you witnessed the incident, police want to talk to you. Call Internal Affairs at 215-685-5056.
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