Southeast Asian community claims issues with profiling by PPD

April 19, 2019 11:19 pm

By: Brittany Comak

Twitter: @comaknews

Email: bcomak@abc6.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – Members of the Providence community say they are outraged about an alleged instance of racial profiling by Providence Police.

Athan Seng, 18, says he was driving his cousin home on the night of April 4, with his little sister in the car, when four officers in unmarked vehicles pulled him over.

“The first thing they asked me for was a weapon,” recalled Seng.

Seng says police also asked him for his ID – but that was it.

“They didn’t ask me for my registration, they didn’t ask me for my insurance.”

According to Seng, police had him get out of the car so they could search him, his cousin, and the entire car and his belongings – without explaining why, only telling him they had ‘put two and two together’ regarding the color of what he was wearing and driving.

“They tried to tell me that they just, ‘Put two and two together.’ That was one of the things that he said,” said Seng. “I’m not sure why he said that. Because my car was blue and my jersey was blue. So I just made the correlation that they might think I’m a gang member.”

Blue is the notorious color of the Crips gang.

“There was no need for my kids to be pulled over with no reason whatsoever,” said Seng’s mother, Sian Oum-Seng. “What, because my son had blue on? He has a Blue Jays jersey on. That’s nothing.”

Others in the Southeast Asian community say they have also felt profiled or harassed by police.

Many, including Councilman Taylor, whose constituents are the Sengs, are calling for an investigation.

“Disturbing because the police are out there to protect the people,” said Councilman James Taylor.

Providence Police have not yet provided ABC 6 comment on this issue. They told the Providence Journal however: “At this time, the PPD maintains that this car stop was predicated on probable cause, but as well we will cooperate fully with the civilian complaint process.”