An 18-year-old student at Spring Valley High School who was present during Officer Ben Field’s violent assault of a Black girl is speaking out after she was charged with a misdemeanor for coming to her classmate’s defense.
Niya Kenny told WLTX-TV that she jumped to the unnamed students defense after she saw the officer throw the 5′ 6″ student across the room.
“I was screaming ‘What the f, what the f is this really happening?'” she told the television station. “I was praying out loud for the girl. I just couldn’t believe this was happening. I was just crying, and he said, ‘Since you have so much to say, you are coming, too.’ I just put my hands behind my back.”
Officer Involved in Violent Student Arrest Has Been Fired, Has History of Using Excessive Force
Kenny was handcuffed and charged with disturbing school. She was taken to the local police station and released on $1,000 bail. South Carolina law states that any individual who disturbs an educational institute faces a $1,000 or up to 90 days in jail.
Kenny’s mother has voiced her support for her daughter.
“I’m not mad at her,” her mother, Doris Kenny, said to the news station. “She was brave enough to speak out against what was going on and didn’t back down, and it resulted in her being arrested. Looking at the video, who was really disturbing schools? Was it my daughter or the officer who came in to the classroom and did that to the young girl?”