Let us use this deeply unfortunate incident to continue the community conversation in Mill Valley about racial equity and specifically the dozens of Mill Valley BIPOC business owners' interactions with local police. We want to hear about your interactions with MVPD officers - bad, good or otherwise - particularly as the City of MV introduces DEI Task Force facilitator on Sept. 8. Email us here.
Yema Khalif and Hawi Awash, owners of the Yema apparel shop on Main Street in downtown Tiburon, were working late into the night on inventory when they were confronted by Tiburon police officers about why they were in the store at that hour. The confrontation escalated and was recorded (video below), sparking outrage in that community as the country continues to grapple with horrific confrontations with the police, the latest of which occurred with the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin on Aug. 23.
"After it was over I was shaking," Awash told the Marin IJ. "My whole body was shaking and I could not make it stop. It was fear. It came from knowing that in one split second they could end someone's life."
In the video that begins shortly after the encounter began, police seek for Khalif to show them his identification to prove that is the owner of the store. Khalif declines, saying that a white business owner would not be asked to prove his ownership of the store in the same situation. Officers quickly grow frustrated and the exchange escalates.
A Change.org petition calling for the firing of one of the officers involved in the incident has achieved nearly 1,000 signatures.
"I cannot lie and say I'm OK," Khalif told the IJ. "I'm traumatized and my wife is traumatized."
In the video, Tiburon Sgt. Michael Blasi says, "Do you want us to look out for the community or do you want us to let anybody walk in here at 2 o'clock in the morning and steal all your stuff? You sure? 'Cause you don't sound like you're very grateful. You sound very defensive."
Moments later, a neighbor can be heard telling police that Khalif is indeed the store owner. Blasi and two other officers then leave.
"Whatever the intention of the responding offices, the interchange inappropriately deteriorated from helpful to confrontational," Tiburon Mayor Alice Fredericks wrote in an email sent to the community. "Tiburon police officers are trained and held to the highest standards of conduct. A key component of that training is the expectation that our officers will utilize de-escalation techniques in situations like there. It is clear that did not occur in this instance."
Police Chief Michael Cronin said the town has engaged the services of an independent attorney to conduct an investigation into the incident. "At the conclusion of the investigation the report will be provided to the Town Manager for review and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the investigator," Cronin told the IJ.
Tiburon Police released footage from an officer's body camera during the incident.
​VIEW IT HERE.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE OR BELOW.
"After it was over I was shaking," Awash told the Marin IJ. "My whole body was shaking and I could not make it stop. It was fear. It came from knowing that in one split second they could end someone's life."
In the video that begins shortly after the encounter began, police seek for Khalif to show them his identification to prove that is the owner of the store. Khalif declines, saying that a white business owner would not be asked to prove his ownership of the store in the same situation. Officers quickly grow frustrated and the exchange escalates.
A Change.org petition calling for the firing of one of the officers involved in the incident has achieved nearly 1,000 signatures.
"I cannot lie and say I'm OK," Khalif told the IJ. "I'm traumatized and my wife is traumatized."
In the video, Tiburon Sgt. Michael Blasi says, "Do you want us to look out for the community or do you want us to let anybody walk in here at 2 o'clock in the morning and steal all your stuff? You sure? 'Cause you don't sound like you're very grateful. You sound very defensive."
Moments later, a neighbor can be heard telling police that Khalif is indeed the store owner. Blasi and two other officers then leave.
"Whatever the intention of the responding offices, the interchange inappropriately deteriorated from helpful to confrontational," Tiburon Mayor Alice Fredericks wrote in an email sent to the community. "Tiburon police officers are trained and held to the highest standards of conduct. A key component of that training is the expectation that our officers will utilize de-escalation techniques in situations like there. It is clear that did not occur in this instance."
Police Chief Michael Cronin said the town has engaged the services of an independent attorney to conduct an investigation into the incident. "At the conclusion of the investigation the report will be provided to the Town Manager for review and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the investigator," Cronin told the IJ.
Tiburon Police released footage from an officer's body camera during the incident.
​VIEW IT HERE.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE OR BELOW.