Black teens handcuffed for selling water on National Mall

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

Three teenagers were handcuffed on the National Mall in Washington, DC for selling bottled water and an elected official has asked the US Park Police why.

The arrests took place last Thursday. A witness captured photos of three black youths being handcuffed by plainclothes police officers. According to Park Police two of those handcuffed were 16 and one of them was 17.

Police say the teens were warned about vending without a permit and were later released without charges.

Democratic DC council member Charles Allen wrote a letter to police Chief Robert MacLean on Friday and has asked him to explain the actions of Park Police. In the letter, Allen mentions that no charges were laid and he does not feel the actions of police were justified.

He outright compared it to arresting children for operating a lemonade stand.

— Judge: Neo-Nazi arrested with bomb-making materials is ‘no threat’ — 

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