There has been an uproar about how Yale graduate student Lodale Siyonbola was treated after she had the cops called on her because she accidentally fell asleep in the common room of a residence hall. Siyonbola filmed the interaction with the woman who called the cops on her.
Lolade Siyonbola
Part 1 – Sarah Braasch, Philosophy PhD student, called the cops on my friend a few months ago for getting lost in my building. Today she messed-again-with the wrong one.
She then filmed the interaction with the cops once they arrived.
Lolade Siyonbola
Part 2 – Sarah Braasch, Philosophy PhD student, called the cops on my friend a few months ago for getting lost in my building. Today she messed-again-with the wrong one.
Siyonbola identified the woman who called the cops as Sarah Braasch and according to The Grio, she has a history of racially problematic views. Braasch has written in the past that she supports banning burqas and is against hate crime legislation in a 2011 post. She said hate crimes legislation is stupid. Seriously stupid. Abominably stupid. I hate hate crimes legislation. But, I love hate speech. Hate crimes legislation has a chilling effect on free speech and freedom of association. Although these past posts don’t provide a full picture of Braasch’s views, her action of calling the cops, along with her previous takes, shows it may not be a one-time thing.
As for what happened to Siyonbala, it was another example of Black individuals getting law enforcement called on them for innocuous, everyday activities. The recent example of two Black men getting arrested at a Starbucks was another one of countless incidents where this happens.
One thing that should be obvious, “sleeping while Black” shouldn’t be a reason why you have the cops called on you.
