Police Use Excessive Force on 13-Year-Old for Using Vape in Australia

Regulations by 2FIRSTS.ai
Mar.07.2024
Police Use Excessive Force on 13-Year-Old for Using Vape in Australia
Police in New South Wales, Australia are under scrutiny after forcefully confronting a 13-year-old boy for vaping in public.

According to the Daily Mail, a 13-year-old boy in Deniliquin, New South Wales, Australia, was using an e-cigarette outside a shopping center with his mother when two police officers approached them. The officers demanded that the boy hand over the e-cigarette and threatened to use force if he did not cooperate.

 

When the 13-year-old boy refused to hand over the e-cigarette, two police officers suddenly grabbed him, leading to a struggle between the two sides. As the boy resisted and struggled, the two officers ultimately managed to force him to the ground, despite pleas from his mother and friends at the scene to stop.

 

The situation escalated when one police officer grabbed the teenager by the neck, and in the video footage, another officer can be seen pressing his knee on the attempting-to-escape teenager. The video went viral on social media, sparking public outrage as many believe that the police's actions constitute excessive use of force.

 

Netizens have expressed their outrage, stating, "He is only 13 years old, the police treating him with such violence is like torture." "Even if he made the mistake of underage smoking, the police should not have acted so excessively."

 

According to a spokesperson for the New South Wales police, authorities are currently dealing with a report of a teenager using an e-cigarette in a shopping mall. The spokesperson stated that when the teenager refused to cooperate and attempted to leave, the police stopped him, and the teenager then threatened to attack the police. The police asked for his identification, but it was refused.

 

The authorities brought the teenager to the Deniliquin police station to confirm his identity, and quickly released him without pursuing criminal charges. However, he will be dealt with under juvenile crime laws. The use of force by the police during the arrest is currently under review.

 

It is worth noting that in New South Wales, it is prohibited to purchase or possess e-cigarettes without a prescription from a doctor, and individuals under the age of 18 are not allowed to purchase e-cigarettes, regardless of whether they contain nicotine.

 

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