An investigation has been launched into the actions of a police officer after he was caught on camera shouting "let's get this motherf***er" and "shut up, b****" while facing off with Black Lives Matter protestors in California.
People are now calling for officer Jared Yuen of the San Jose Police Department to be fired after a video of him smiling, swaying side-to-side, and literally licking his lips was posted to social media, in which, he is heavily armed.
Watch footage of Yuen facing off with protestors below:An outraged protester shouts: "This is funny to them, they're smiling".
Another adds: "They're having a blast out here."
Yuen screams "let's get this motherf***er" as the cops begin making their way toward the crowd of protestors.
In another clip of the incident, Yuen can be heard screaming "shut up, b****" at a protestor who questioned: "Why are you on that side?"
People are now sharing Yuen's personal details on social media in a bid to have him fired.
Per News.com.au, Yuen has now been placed on leave pending a police investigation.
In the video below, Chief Eddie Garcia addresses Yuen's actions:Garcia took the opportunity to defend Officer Yuen, describing him as a "good kid" and referencing the many times he has "risked his life for the city". But he added that Yuen would "be accountable for his actions and will have to deal with the consequences."
Raj Jayadev, director of the social justice group Silicon Valley De-Bug, told The Mercury News of San Jose that the officer's actions were troubling.
"Officer Yuen’s actions are extremely dangerous because you have someone who actually has a license to kill,” Jayadev said. "It’s one thing for someone to be a bully. But when you have the tools and state authority to act upon that violent aggression, it’s not just words, as far as I see it. It’s a criminal threat."
This comes as mass demonstrations have erupted across the US and other major cities around the globe.
These protests - some peaceful, some violent - are calling out the systemic injustices carried out against black people, not least seen by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.
They are also demanding an end to police brutality and the racism that is so deeply entrenched in America and the western world.
The message is simple: Black lives matter.
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