RantCrush Top 5: April 20, 2017

A video posted online shows police officers handcuffing a 10-year-old autistic boy at his school in Florida. His mother, Luanne Haygood, filmed the incident. According to Haygood, her son Benjamin kicked a teacher back in November and was suspended from school. When he reported back to school last week, teachers called the police who said there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Even though Benjamin has autism–many people with the disorder are sensitive to touch–the officers in the video pull his hands and handcuff him. “I don’t want to be touched. Please don’t touch me,” the boy says in the video. “I don’t know what’s going on.”

The shocking moment when a 10-year-old boy with autism was arrested by the police at his school in Florida. pic.twitter.com/OY2H0VDhl2

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) April 20, 2017

Police then put him in a car while he repeatedly asked what was going on, clearly showing signs of distress. His mother was not allowed to go with him and he reportedly had to spend the night in juvenile detention without her. The 10-year-old is being charged with felony battery and has a court date in May. Many people online are outraged over this treatment of an autistic child and Haygood said she hopes the video will lead to a change in the charges.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.