Video Shows Officers Arresting Black Woman In Alabama Waffle House; Police Say Arrest Was “Appropriate” Despite Outrage

On Monday, Saraland officials addressed an incident that was caught on tape, where police aggressively arrested a black woman inside an Alabama Waffle House.

In the video, which was taken Sunday morning, 25-year-old Chikesia Clemons is seen sitting on a chair inside the restaurant before an officer wrestles her to the ground over an argument with an employee. However, amid the officers’ attempt to arrest Clemons, her tube top began to fall and expose her bust line, which in turn, escalated the situation.

“What are you doing?” Clemons asked. “I’ll break your arm, that’s what I’m about to do,” an officer responded, as they demanded that she stop “resisting.”

“You’re choking me,” Clemons screamed as an officer restrained her with his hand around her neck.

In the end, Clemons was hauled off and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. While Clemons believes the video shows an accurate depiction of what went down that morning, Alabama officials and Waffle House execs claim the video only told part of the story.

On one hand, Clemons’ mother, Chiquitta Clemons-Howard said the incident started after her daughter asked for plastic utensils with her order. But, when the employee told her she’d had to pay an additional 50 cents, Clemons argued that she didn’t have to pay the night before after making the same request. In turn, the employee canceled the order and Clemons complained to a manager.

However, a spokesperson for the Waffle House refuted that version, using references from the security footage and eyewitness accounts.

“After reviewing our security video of the incident and eyewitness accounts, police intervention was appropriate,” the spokesperson said without providing further detail. As for the officials, according to USA Today, they received a call reporting a disturbance with a woman who appeared drunk and had been asked to leave for bringing in, what employees believed to be, alcohol. Upon arrival, officials say witnesses claimed Clemons and her friend were acting belligerently, screaming profanities and threatening to “shoot this place up.”

Despite the backlash in the wake of the video though, Saraland Police said they are “not choosing to take any action at this time” against the officers involved.