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Harvard professor Gates arrested at Cambridge home

(boston.com) -- Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., one of the nation's pre-eminent African-American scholars, was arrested Thursday afternoon at his home by Cambridge police investigating a possible break-in. The incident raised concerns among some Harvard faculty that Gates was a victim of racial profiling.

Police arrived at Gates’s Ware Street home near Harvard Square at 12:44 p.m. to question him. Gates, director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard, had trouble unlocking his door after it became jammed.

He was booked for disorderly conduct after “exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior,” according to a police report. Gates accused the investigating officer of being a racist and told him he had "no idea who he was messing with,'' the report said.

Gates told the officer that he was being targeted because "I'm a black man in America.''

Friends of Gates said he was already in his home when police arrived. He showed his driver’s license and Harvard identification card, but was handcuffed and taken into police custody for several hours last Thursday, they said.

The police report said Gates was arrested after he yelled at the investigating officer repeatedly inside the residence then followed the officer outside, where Gates continued to upbraid him. "It was at that time that I informed Professor Gates that he was under arrest,'' the officer wrote in the report.

Gates, 58, declined to comment today when reached by phone.

More/Source: http://snurl.com/no4t2

I hate how police officers can get away with this shit. You come to my home unannounced, claim I'm in the wrong for minding my own business, unsettle both my family and friends inside the residence, and expect me to be okay with it? If you can't chew out an officer for wasting his time, my time, and ruining my public stance in the community, it is an unlawful and oblivious America in which we live under, twiddling our ignorant thumbs.

/ me in the assumed voice of Prof. Gates, whom I have seen and heard numerous times in various forums, events, interviews & lectures.

I don't like this at all.

Racial Profiling needs to be banned right quick!

Isnt Obama supposed to sorting this shit out! (Non-American btw)

Not sure how the president is supposed to sorting out hundreds of years of fucked up thinking and behaving, but this is just but one of many things that is fucked up about profiling...Every time I think about that fucking cop pulling that guy and his family over trying to rush to see his mother at the hospital it just makes me sick to my stomach...

It's starting to look like the Police Officer did everything by the book and the Prof true colors are starting to show.

Note: not a racist comment by any stretch.

BM, I see what you mean, but the problem is that he did everything by the book and still didn't exercise good judgment...I mean, the guy was in the house, and showed him his I.D. and everything...Why the fuck didn't he just leave..? I mean, I'd be fucking furious if this happened to me...Wouldn't a cop know that..? One of his neighbors, rather than offer help, called the cops on him...The cops get there, look around, and should be able to ascertain what happened...Obviously they didn't, and this is what happened...Going by the book is one thing, but this is beyond moronic...

The gut should've just given the cop his ID when asked instead getting pissed. I know if the cops asked me for my ID, I wouldn't in a million years think of saying no.

If I were speeding on the side of the road, sure...If I'm in my fucking house though...I'd probably have gotten arrested...I mean, for real...Look at this guy...Did the cops REALLY think that he was a fucking thief..? Really..? Could they not look around and see pictures of him on the wall..? Did they not see any reason at all why he would be upset..? Man, fuck them police, lol...They knew what they were doing, and its atrocious...I don't know, maybe its just where I live, but here, cops know the people in the community...

First off:

Officers were called to the home by a woman who said she saw "two black males with backpacks" trying to break in the front door.

That was the call...They get there, don't see any signs of forced entry, an older, well groomed little black man answers the door, and you proceed to investigate him as a perp..? Arrested him when he was upset you barged into his house demanding ID..? They should have gotten there, told Mr. Gates what the call was, and then asked him if he wanted them to go through the house with them to investigate the call...They had no reason to suspect him in any way, let alone to ask for I.D..?



Unbelievable man...

James Crowley wrote:I acted appropriately

Indeed...

Well, Obama's buying both of them a beer, we'll see how it plays out.