Wednesday evening, August 12th an all too familiar, yet unfortunate incident was reported involving a Tampa, Florida local, Black Lives Matter activist, Jae Passmore and Tampa law enforcement officers. In a video shared on Instagram, the activist can be seen surrounded by several fellow protestors shouting and pleading for officers to “Stop! Get your knee off her neck!†“Get off her like that!†The helpless onlookers stated the brutal encounter lasted for roughly 20 minutes before the officers called for a medic, where Passmore was taken to a nearby hospital. The protestor was treated for a concussion and ankle and pelvic injuries, and discharged late Wednesday night.
The altercation was said to have stemmed from an earlier incident that took place at a neighboring demonstration at Tampa City Hall. Two protest groups organized at the location, “Tampa People Protest†of which Passmore was involved and “Back the Blue†which was comprised of roughly 20 individuals. A confrontation ensued between the two groups and reports state several witnesses allege Jae pushed another individual from behind. This is, according to the defendant’s spokesperson.
Undercover officers watched the incident, followed and later made contact with the defendant joined with the battery victim, who then confirmed Passmore as the person who struck him. According to an arrest affidavit there is no video that supports this action.
The Tampa Bay Activist Network is working diligently on Passmore’s behalf insisting the young lady “did nothing wrong,” but was denied medical attention and left on the ground after being tackled by officers.â€
How many more racially-motivated stories like that of Floyd and Passmore do we need to read surrounding blue knee’s imprinted on Black necks before state and local officials intervene and take necessary action becomes the pressing question.
Please be sure to follow Jae Passmore updates as more on her story is developing.
-Cherrie McRae
Cherrie McRae is a native South Floridian and Georgia transplant who relocated to Atlanta, Ga, Summer 2006, in pursuit of a better quality of life for both her and her son, CJ.
By trade, she is a business consultant with an 11-year tenure, of which she outsources human resources & administrative services to local clients and businesses. Cherrie is a serial entrepreneur with a professional portfolio comprised of both product and service brands such as an inspirational screen tee company, “Inspire Attire,’ self-publishing consulting resource, ‘CRae Publishing’ which birth her 3-part audio series, ‘Success Memoirs,’ her community effort, an intimate non-profit agency entitled, NCourage and NSpire Community Outreach, and a film production brand entitled, ‘Fade to Black Pictures,’ to name a few. Cherrie’s continuous tag on multi-platforms, ‘CherMpowers,’ where she pushes a powerful yet positive agenda to ‘aspire to inspire’ individuals from all walks of life to full-time Greatness.
