Anger over violent arrest of 12-year-old in diverse Amsterdam community

Outrage and anger reign in Amsterdam-Zuidoost over the arrest of a 12-year-old boy at the Amsteramse Poort on Tuesday afternoon. Enforcement officers stopped the boy for cycling where it was not allowed, AT5 reports.

According to the broadcaster, the boy did not want to show any identification - though a person on Facebook points out that at age 12 you don't have to carry ID with you. Videos posted on social media show how the boy is cuffed, to the fury of bystanders. The enforcers called the police and handed the boy over to them.

Roy Ritsie of D66 Zuidoost is very worried about the outrage in his neighborhood and is calling on the city government to investigate. "We ask the Executive Committee to immediately do a thorough investigation into the facts ad circumstances that led to the arrest of this young man and to provide us with all information." he said to the broadcaster. 

Controle Alt Delete, a non profit organization that works specifically against ethnic profiling by the police, is assisting the boy's family in te matter. The boy's mother filed an official complaint and called in victim support for the boy. The organization also arranged a meeting with 12 kids and young people and 12 police officers from the neighborhood to discuss how to improve matters.

A protest is also being organized for Thursday evening. 

https://www.facebook.com/illcreations/posts/1300018283396744

https://www.facebook.com/ralitsa.vliese/videos/10208864076663575/