Palestinian American teen beaten by police charged in juvenile court

Hadi Abuatelah, the Palestinian teen who was beaten by police late last month at a traffic stop near Chicago, was charged in juvenile court Thursday.  

The video footage of the small-framed 17-year-old being repeatedly beaten by three heavyset white police officers from the village of Oak Lawn caused international outrage on social media earlier this month when it was widely shared online.  

The beating left Abuatelah with severe injuries of the head and pelvis that will require long-term rehabilitation.  

This incident has led a number of local residents from the Arab community to share their own stories of police intimidation. It has also led to solidarity from other marginalised communities across the country.  

Abuatelah was charged by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office with possession of a firearm.

Witnesses, however, claim that a gun was only found after the brutal arrest. The police say they feared he was reaching for a weapon. 

This week’s charge comes within days of another widely shared video of three police officers beating a youth in the state of Arkansas. Public outrage over this incident has led to the officers’ suspensions.

In the case of the three Oak Lawn police officers, they remain on patrol. 

Abuatelah's parents have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the three police officers from the Oak Lawn Police Department, Police Chief Daniel Vittorio, and the Village of Oak Lawn after the alleged use of excessive force during the arrest. 

The judge has given Abuatelah a 10 pm curfew. His next court date is 22 September.