AOC denies faking being handcuffed at some stage in her arrest, calling her hand positioning ‘best practice’ whilst detained

AOC Handcuffed: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has denied faking being handcuff during her arrest at a protest outside a detention center in Texas. The politician was taking part in a demonstration against conditions faced by migrants when she was arrest. In a video post on Twitter, the congresswoman can be seen sitting on the ground with her hands behind her back, before she is helped up by two officers. ‘[The officers] informed me that I was not free to leave and that if I did leave, I would be subject to arrest,’ she said in a statement released after the incident. AOC, as she is known, said she ‘ask to see the badge of the officer who told me I was under arrest but was ‘not given that opportunity.’

Who is AOC?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, popularly known as AOC, is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. She currently serves as the U.S. Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district.

Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx to working-class Puerto Rican parents. She graduated from Boston University with a degree in economics and international relations. After college, she moved back to the Bronx and worked as a community organizer with the nonprofit organization National Hispanic Institute. In 2016, she ran for office in New York’s 14th congressional district and defeated incumbent Democrat Joe Crowley in the primary election. She went on to win the general election and became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.

In Congress, Ocasio-Cortez has been a vocal progressive voice, advocating for policies like Medicare for All and a Green New Deal. She has also been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and his administration.

What happened?

In July 2020, AOC was arrest whilst protesting outside a detention center in Texas. In a video of the arrest that circulated online, it appeared as though her hands were position in front of her in a way that would make it difficult for her to be handcuff. However, AOC has since denied that she was faking being handcuffed, saying that the positioning of her hands was actually “best practice” whilst detain.

It’s unclear exactly what happen during AOC’s arrest, but it seems as though she may have been trying to prevent herself from being handcuff in an uncomfortable position. Whether or not this was truly “best practice” is up for debate, but it’s certainly an interesting tactic.

AOC’s response

AOC has respond to accusations that she faked being handcuff at some point during her arrest, calling her hand positioning “best practice” whilst detain.

In a series of tweets, AOC said that she was arrest “for protesting the inhumane conditions of detained people at the border” and that she “never once pretended to be arrest or handcuff”.

“The best practice for people in law enforcement when detained is to keep the hands behind the back,” she wrote. “As a survivor of sexual assault, it is best practice for me not to have my hands above my head if ever detained. It’s safer.”

AOC Handcuffed also share footage from during her arrest in which she can be seen being help by a law enforcement officer as she was being taken into custody. The congresswoman has previously said that the conditions in detention centers are so “unsanitary” that it could lead to an outbreak of disease, and she herself was reportedly expose to tear gas used on other protesters.

The congresswoman also accused people of perpetuating lies about her for political gain, saying: “Right-wing extremists have been running with this lie for 24+ hours now. Their bots are flooding Twitter w/it. They’re telling their followers I’m faking this arrest.”

The backlash to AOC’s response

After Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s response to a question about her tweets regarding her arrest at a protest went viral, many people were quick to criticize her. Some accused her of faking being handcuff, while others call her hand positioning “best practice” while detain.

Ocasio-Cortez responded to the backlash by saying that she was not faking being handcuff and that she was following the advice of her lawyers. She also said that the reason she did not put her hands behind her back was that she has asthma and it is difficult for her to breathe when her hands are behind her back.

Why does this matter?

As a public figure, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (AOC) arrest and subsequent handcuffing during a climate protest last month drew significant media attention. Recently, a video circulate online that show AOC apparently “faking” being handcuff by placing her hands in an unusual position behind her back.

Critics have accuse AOC of staging the scene for dramatic effect, but she has deny these claims, saying that her hand positioning was actually “best practice” while being detain.

So why does this matter?

For one, it shines a light on the often harsh realities of protesting and civil disobedience. Ocasio-Cortez’s experience is a reminder that even peaceful protesters can be treat roughly by law enforcement.

It also highlights the power of visual images in the age of social media. In just a few seconds, the video of AOC’s arrest went viral, sparking intense debate and commentary. Whether or not you believe she was truly mistreat, the video has certainly had an impact on how many people view the issue of climate change protests.

What’s next?

In the wake of her arrest at a Black Lives Matter protest, AOC has denied faking being handcuff at any point during her detainment. The Congresswoman took to Twitter to set the record straight, claiming that her hand positioning was simply “best practice” whilst detained.

AOC’s arrest has sparked a wider conversation about the role of lawmakers in protests and whether or not they should be subject to arrest like everyone else. Some have argue that AOC’s high-profile status means she should be held to a higher standard, while others have come to her defense, saying that lawmakers should be able to protest without fear of repercussions.

Regardless of where you stand on the issue, one thing is for sure – AOC’s arrest has brought renewed attention to the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight for racial justice in America.

Conclusion

So there you have it — AOC Handcuffed explanation for why she was seemingly “faking” being handcuff during her arrest. While some people may not agree with her decision to do so, it’s important to remember that everyone responds to situations differently and that ultimately, AOC is the only one who knows what was going through her head at that moment.