Shocking story here from Tristan D. Lalla, one of Montreal's most accomplished young actors, who recounts how he was recently dragged off a crowded bus and handcuffed on the sidewalk by cops who said he fit a description of a thief that had recently committed a crime.
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Lalla is black, as was the suspect they were seeking.
Police went through Lalla's jacket pockets in front of dozens of onlookers, asking him to explain and justify each item, from his wallet to a Vaseline, which he carries to for his lips.
To his credit Lalla is vowing not to let it keep him down.
Police went through Lalla's jacket pockets in front of dozens of onlookers, asking him to explain and justify each item, from his wallet to a Vaseline, which he carries to for his lips.
Then officer purple pants (a brown man) tells me, “You’re being detained because you fit the description of a suspect. He just robbed someone at gunpoint not even 5 minutes ago. We’ve handcuffed you to be sure that you can’t reach for any weap—”After failing to find any weapon, police then headed back onto the bus to see if he stashed a gun somewhere.
"I don’t have any weapons on me. I have done nothing wrong. I’m not the person you’re looking for.”
To his credit Lalla is vowing not to let it keep him down.
Do know that this bullshit is not allowed to run my life through internalized rage. I know that the best students always get the hardest tests. I know that thanks to those around me I slept well the night that this transpired. I know that this incident is not allowed to define how I think about myself because I do not give it permission to.Lalla also complained of being kept out of the St. Sulplice nightclub in 2011 because he was dressed in a hop hop style, according to the bouncer, who meanwhile allowed other white folks wearing the same style into the joint.