Protest Over Bridgewater Police Handling Of Mall Fight To Be Held Saturday

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — A protest, in response to Bridgewater Police's handling of a teen mall fight that has raised questions of racial disparity, will be held on Saturday outside of the police department.

Stage Friends USA, a community organization that uses theater to raise funds to promote community initiatives, will be hosting the protest on Feb. 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. at 100 Commons Way in Bridgewater.

"We, like every responsible citizen, we're equally outraged watching the video of the despicable racial profiling by two Bridgewater Police officers and could not stand by idly without reacting to it," said Venkat Venkataramanan, President of Stage Friends USA, who organized the event.

A video began circulating on Sunday showing the fight between a white teen and a Black teen at the Bridgewater Commons mall. The video also shows township police officers kneeling on and handcuffing the Black teen while the white-skinned teen is left sitting on a couch. Read More: Cops Criticized After Stopping Teen Fight At Bridgewater Mall

Since then Murphy has said he was "deeply disturbed" by the video and the New Jersey chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a civil rights organization, is now calling for the Bridgewater officers involved to be immediately removed from the police force pending an investigation.

The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office is helping Bridgewater with the investigation as they strictly adhere to the New Jersey Attorney General's Internal Affairs Directive. The SCPO has 45 days to complete the investigation. Read More: Murphy 'Disturbed' By Bridgewater Cops' Handling Of Mall Fight

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