A viral video shows a Tennessee police officer arresting two Latino men for “hootin’ and hollerin’” during his coffee break.
Carlos Gaena, one of the men who was arrested, posted video of the incident on TikTok.
“After a fun night with my homie we got arrested for playing some Laberinto music at the Waffle House,” Gaena wrote. “I guess he doesn’t like our music.”
The video shows Officer Wes Martin approaching the men at their table and accusing them of “causing a scene.”
“Nobody’s causing a scene,” Gaena says in the video.
“When I can hear you all the way over there, there’s a problem,” Martin says. “What I”m telling you is, you can eat in peace, or you can go to jail.”
After the men question whether Martin has the authority to tell them to be quiet, the officer orders Gaena to stand up before handcuffing him, leading him outside, and placing him in the back of his cruiser.
Gaena’s friend, Rodriguez Escobar, follows them outside and continues to film.
“C’mon man, we’re just having a good time,” Escobar tells Martin.
“You were the one who was in there hootin’ and’ hollerin’ and everything else,” Officer Martin says. “I stood up and shook my head at him to tell you to be quiet. And then I have to come over to tell you to be quiet again. He caused a scene inside the store. … I’m sitting over here drinking my coffee, I like to it drink in peace, instead of y’all yellin’ and screamin’ and hollerin’ and whistlin’.”
Martin asks Escobar how much he’s had to drink, saying he can smell alcohol on him. At one point, Gaena tries to tell Escobar something from the back of the cruiser. Escobar opens the door so he can hear him. After another officer arrives, Martin tells Escobar he’s under arrest, too — for public intoxication.
According to Gaena, he and Escobar spent 12 hours in jail and paid $1,200 before the charges were dropped, TooFab.com reports.
The Advocate & Democrat reports that the incident occurred at about 3:40 a.m. on Oct. 10 at the Waffle House on Highway 411 in Madisonville. According to the newspaper, Martin said the men were “whistling loudly and yelling.” Martin said he told them twice to be quiet, before Gaena began “yelling” at him.
“Martin said he asked the men a third time to calm down, but Gaena began to talk louder and Martin said he could smell alcohol coming from Gaena and his eyes were extremely red,” according to the newspaper. “Martin said it appeared obvious Gaena was under the influence and he placed him under arrest. The other man, Rodriguez Escobar, also smelled of alcohol and appeared to be under the influence, was unsteady on his feet and had slurred speech. He too was placed under arrest.”
Both men were charged with disorderly conduct and public intoxication.
Martin previously arrested a man at the same Waffle House in July on a public intoxication charge, according to the Advocate & Democrat.
According to a Facebook page, Martin is currently running for a seat on the Monroe County Commission.
[via Raw Story]