Princeton professor claims racism in arrest
An African-American studies professor at Princeton University claims racism after her arrest for unpaid parking tickets.
Imani Perry was arrested after an officer who pulled her over for speeding found she was driving on a suspended license for a warrant for unpaid parking tickets.
According to police, Perry was stopped at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday for driving 67 miles an hour in a 45 mph zone.
Dr. Perry, a Princeton University professor of African-American studies, took to social media to voice her frustrations.
On her Twitter account, which has since been deactivated, the professor cited racism and improper police protocol in her posts.
Perry was patted down by a male officer. She described it as a "body search". After that she was handcuffed before being put in the back of the police car.
She was later handcuffed to a table at the police station.
She says she was humiliated and frightened by the experience.
In a Facebook post Perry wrote: "I hope everyone reading will consider the possibility that the way I was treated had something to do with my race, and that we have a serious problem with policing in this society particularly with respect to Black people."
Perry was released after paying a $130 fine for the unpaid parking tickets.
She wrote on Facebook: "I cannot ever say definitively that this specific mistreatment was a result of race. But I can say that what I experienced was far more likely because my skin is a deep brown, my nose is round, and my hair is coily. And given the accumulation of police violence against Black people in this society, my fear at being stopped and arrested as a Black woman was warranted and even reasonable."
Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber released a statement on the arrest saying, in part: "As a community, it is important that we care for each other and support each other, especially in trying times. These certainly have been trying times for Professor Perry and her colleagues and friends, as they have been for all members of this community who know and admire her."
Princeton Police said the arrest was handled like any other arrest involving similar circumstances.