Nationwide — A now-viral video exhibits police in Groves, Texas detaining Akia Townes, an African American lady, for strolling on the mistaken facet of the highway whereas her white husband Brad Townes, who was strolling beside her, was not stopped and even questioned. The couple is demanding an apology, calling the incident racially motivated.
Brad and Akia Townes have been looking for their misplaced canine close to their house in Groves, Texas, on April 2 when two officers approached them. Brad recorded the encounter, which rapidly gained consideration on-line.
Officers claimed Akia violated a site visitors rule by strolling on the proper facet of a highway that had no sidewalk. Underneath Texas legislation, pedestrians should stroll dealing with site visitors on such roads.
Within the video, Brad is heard saying, “Can’t stroll whereas Black in Groves,” as Akia is questioned and requested to point out her ID. She says each officers approached with their arms on their weapons. Moments later, she was advised she was being detained. Brad, who wasn’t stopped or ticketed, mentioned, “That is ridiculous.”
As tensions rose, backup arrived. 4 officers ended up on the scene, together with two nonetheless in coaching. Akia obtained a ticket for the violation. The couple has since employed an legal professional to combat the quotation.
“It’s simply very an extreme drive of energy for me simply making an attempt to go and discover my canine,” Akia advised KFDM. “You would have simply mentioned, ‘Hey, ma’am,’ and I might have defined to you what I used to be making an attempt to do, however then you definately threatened my husband and threatened me to go to jail.”
“I really feel like they regarded and noticed a straightforward goal, and no one was going to return and defend and no one was going to return assist,” Akia’s husband Brad added.
The Groves Police Division later shared that eight tickets for a similar offense had been issued since January 2023 — 5 to white people, two to Asians, and one to a Black individual. Metropolis Marshal Chris Robin mentioned the division doesn’t tolerate racism and desires to forestall minor incidents from escalating.
The couple’s legal professional, Langston Adams, believes the cease was racially motivated. “It’s not a query of whether or not she was breaking the legislation. We imagine it’s selective enforcement and racial profiling. Why didn’t the husband get a ticket?” he requested. “I imagine they used her strolling on the mistaken facet of the highway as a pretext to cease her.”
