They denounce alleged police abuse against actor Kendrick Sampson in Cartagena

A video recorded the moment when a police officer hit him in the face and took out his weapon. The actress Natalia Reyes denounced the fact that she classified as excess of the police force. From the Metropolitan Police of Cartagena they assure that it was the legitimate use of force, after the leader of the Black Lives Matter movement opposed a personal search procedure.

An alleged case of police abuse was registered in Cartagena, on Tuesday, December 15, in one of the streets of the historic center of that city. A video recorded the moment in which a police officer hits him in the face and draws his weapon, threatening the actor and leader of the Black Lives Matter movement, Kendrick Sampson. From the Metropolitan Police of Cartagena they assure that it was a legitimate use of force, after Sampson opposed a personal search procedure.

“A police procedure was presented in which it was necessary to use legitimate force. A citizen of North American nationality objected to the personal search procedure. This person tried to remove an item from the bag, so the policeman had to reduce it using force, ”said Brigadier General of the Cartagena Metropolitan Police, Henrry Sanabria.

The video went viral after the actress Natalia Reyes denounced the events through her Instagram account. “Everything hurts, not just because it’s him and he’s my friend, but because it’s the everyday life of many, because we’ve gotten used to this and it’s NOT okay, it’s not normal, the police have the right to ask anyone they want for papers but He does not have the right to hit, grope (as happened before they started recording) and target a person who is not committing any crime or offering any resistance (…) ”, was the message that Reyes left.

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The actor was subjected to a subpoena for disrespect for authority and for contempt of a police order, in accordance with Law 1801 of 2016, National Code of Citizen Security and Coexistence.

“It is important to highlight that this fact was brought to the attention of the US federal authorities, based in Cartagena. Also before Migration Colombia, who are analyzing possible sanctions abroad, “the Cartagena Metropolitan Police explained in a statement.