Protester pushed to ground by police officer in Orlando speaks out – WFTV

ORLANDO, Fla. – A protester said she has been feeling sore since an Orlando police officer pushed her to the ground Saturday.

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The incident occurred Saturday afternoon after protesters finished their demonstration around Lake Eola.

“There are four or five of us and we're a little way ahead, and I'm part of that group. And as we pass Publix, this woman comes out and we recognize her as the same woman who was following us earlier in the day,” said Lamia Moukaddam, the protester seen on camera being shoved by the police officer.

The incident occurred on Lake Avenue near the corner of Central Boulevard.

Read: Protester reacts after clashes with local police lead to several arrests

The protesters, who are part of the advocacy group Central Florida Queers for Palestine, were about to enter the Publix store to retrieve their vehicles when they were confronted by a woman who initially loudly expressed her negative views toward the group.

“She was booing the group of people walking by, and they just stood there and screamed back for a brief moment,” Moukaddam said. “Then I see the OPD come up next to them on their motorcycles, and at that point the woman joins the Orlando Police Department on the street and in their ranks following us back to our cars. So I got my phone out to record that, and you see the reaction of the sergeant on the motorcycle where he tackles me so violently that I fly a few feet away and slam my head and shoulder into a tree.”

In an official statement, the OPD said the protester attacked the police officer, but the video from a different angle shows no action other than Moukaddam pulling out a phone to record the altercation.

Read: Orlando police release bodycam video of protesters being arrested

The protest came in the wake of rising tensions between Israel and Lebanon, where a series of pager explosions left at least 39 people dead and more than 3,000 injured.

“My family is being indiscriminately bombed all over Lebanon right now,” said Moukaddam, who moved to the United States at a young age. “But it's not just my family. It's generations and generations, and for me as someone who lives in the United States in a privileged background and in the diaspora.”

A total of eight people were arrested after the protest. The charges ranged from disturbing the peace to assaulting a police officer to resisting arrest with and without violence. “I think they always use this repression to deter us, but it only fuels the fire,” said Moukaddam. “We will not stop. We will not rest until all our people are free.”

Read: Police: Eight people arrested after unrest following pro-Palestinian demonstration in downtown Orlando

Channel 9 reached out to OPD for comment on claims that the protester did not attack the officer, but received no response.

It is also not clear if the officer involved in the case is still on duty or if he has been placed on leave pending the investigation. The City of Orlando issued the following statement.

“As a city, we are working to ensure our citizens have the right to express their opinions and assemble peacefully. The city is committed to ensuring the safety of all who peacefully protest in the city, while also ensuring the safety of residents and businesses.”

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