Security video shows controversial Warehouse District incident

CLEVELAND - Security video has been released of an altercation on West 6th Street that led to allegations of racism against Cleveland police.

Last week, the Cleveland NAACP held a news conference accusing Cleveland police of being racially biased when they arrested two black bankers in the Warehouse District.

But police said the security video from the Velvet Dog night club shows the two men instigated the trouble. Police said as the bar was closing and a lot of people were trying to leave, the two men were warned five different times by a bouncer to move out of the exit doorway, but the men would not move.

Finally, a bouncer pushes the two men outside, at which time police said the men were free to walk away. But at that point, off-duty police saw what was happening and police said the men began pointing at and taunting police.

As police try to arrest the man, the scuffle moves to the street where police said the man resisted arrest, grabbed the officer’s belt and the officer punched the man to get him to comply.

Police said they did not target the men because they were black, but because they were causing trouble.

Cleveland City Councilman Jeff Johnson watched the video and said while it appears the men were not singled out, he believes the confrontation is part of a pattern of behavior by overaggressive police officers.

The attorney for the men who were arrested said he will not comment on the case until he gets his own copy of the unedited version of the security video from police.

However, some black patrons have been complaining that some bar owners and police make them feel as though they are not welcome on West 6th Street.

Keep checking newsnet5.com for more on this developing story.