This article is focused on the following Sustainable Development Goal:
So much of the information we receive is shared through the internet and an increasing number of people are participating in social justice movements with the use of digital platforms. Whether it’s #YaMeCanse (“I am tired”) from Mexico, #PoliceBrutalityKe from Kenya, #AmINext from Canada, or #HandsUpDontShoot from America, police violence is a known, global phenomenon.
By definition, police brutality is a human rights violation carried out by an officer. This includes, but is not limited to, undue or excessive beatings, racial abuse, torture, illicit killings, or haphazard riot mitigation methods at protests (“What is Police Brutality”). If you’re like me, you have also witnessed the steady rise of the police misconduct exposé around the world. The bloodshed of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Chantel Moore, Iyad Halaq, and other victims of police brutality have galvanized a world-wide social movement against cop cruelty.
Why do I care about police abuse? And why should you? Let’s let the numbers speak:
*note that many governments do not record or publish the data of police killings, therefore, it is likely that the numbers elapse this. (“What is Police Brutality”) (“Brazil: Police Violence”).
Approximately 19,000 people died from 2007-2012 worldwide due to ‘legal interventions’ with the police.
In 2018, 6,160 Brazilians died at the hands of police officers with an average of 17 people per day.
In the Dominican Republic and the Russian Republic of Chechnya, a large number of people who identify as gay, lesbian, or transgender are abducted and abused by the police. Some are killed in secret.
In America, 99% of police brutality cases result in the officer being free of consequences.
This list goes on and on; is it safe to say that these numbers are absurd?
This has shed light on the imperativeness of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. According to the United Nations Development Programme, peace, stability, human rights, and effective governance based on the rule of law are indispensable in order to attain sustainable development. This goal focuses on decreasing all kinds of violence, ending conflicts, and fostering the rule of law and human rights within governments and communities.
Let me ask you this: when you see police brutality on social media, what is the most common and reliable form of information you come across? The most popular method of exposé on social media is, undoubtedly, through eyewitnesses’ videos. Caught on Camera is a project which was set in motion by Witness Media Lab with the aim to, exhaustively, educate the public on the A-Z’s about filming police misconduct. The project also entailed an analysis of four American police misconduct cases and the impact of video footage. The findings were very interesting. To different degrees, video footage attracts media attention, contributes to advocacy endeavors, and impacts legal ramifications/policy reforms (“Filming Police Violence”). At the end of the day, who benefits the most from reliable video footage? The innocent. The law-abiding. The wrongfully accused.
Caught on Camera sheds more light on the “Right to Record”. How much do you know about your right to record? In simple terms, this refers to “the right to take out a camera or cell phone and film the military and law enforcement without fear of arrest, violence or other retaliation” (“Right to Record”). This is a right that is protected under provisions of the International Human Rights Standards for Law Enforcement.
At this point, we all come to these questions: what is the power of video, and is it a sustainable method to act on police brutality? While there are other paramount steps to take in order to fully address police brutality, eyewitnesses’ videos, though small, are considered valuable contributions. George Floyd’s last moments were caught on camera and catalyzed an international conversation about systemic racism. We saw the video, we shared the video. Sharing a video is advocacy from the comfort of your home. Additionally, videos provide details and proof of the crime, they show the sequences of events that lead up to the act and can even influence the decision of the jury. With regards to Sustainable Development Goal 16, eyewitnesses’ videos can often start a conversation that helps transform the criminal justice system in many countries; promoting the rule of law in order to decrease violence and increase peace.
Now you might be thinking: what can you do? How can you be a part of Caught on Camera? If you want to help, the first place to start is to educate yourself. I will leave you two crucial suggestions:
E.g.: The international police standards require lethal force as a last resort. Police are obligated to respect and protect the right to life. However, according to Amnesty International, some countries like Mexico, and nine states in America, have not adopted a national law restricting lethal force.
E.g.: Make sure you are safe and not in any way escalating the situation. The line between filming and interfering can be determined by the cop. Note that witnessing can be emotionally strenuous and consider your privacy and the privacy of others who appear in the clip before releasing the video.
Remember, it doesn’t have to be big to make a difference and change starts with you.
Additional Resources
For more information on the Right to Record, click here.
For more information on how to safely record a crime, visit this.
For more information about Caught on Camera, view this.
Works Cited
“Brazil: Police Violence Increased Again in 2018.” Teller Report, Teller Report, 20 Apr. 2019,
www.tellerreport.com/news/--brazil--police-violence-increased-again-in-
2018-.BJeLCvKd5N.html.
“Filming Police Violence in the United States.” WITNESS Media Lab, 16 July 2020,
www.lab.witness.org/projects/police-violence-in-the-united-states/.
“Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.” UNDP,
www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-16-peace-
justice-and-strong-institutions.html.
“Right to Record.” WITNESS Media Lab, 29 Apr. 2020, www.lab.witness.org/projects/right-
to-record/.
“What Is Police Brutality?” Police Violence | Amnesty International,
www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/police-brutality/.
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