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Hmong Group Marches to Protest Alleged Police Brutality

Koua Moua

Hmong Group Marches to Protest Alleged Police Brutality

MILWAUKEE - As loud as they could, hundreds of protesters--most of them Hmong--wanted the Milwaukee Police Department to know they are angry.

"No more what? Police brutality," they yelled outside the District 4 Milwaukee Police building on Saturday morning.

The protest was sparked by the case of Koua Moua. The 39-year-old Hmong man was injured during a traffic stop in February.

Moua claims he was attacked. But police say Moua was dragging the officer with his van. Several witnesses back the police.

Moua's is charged with resisting arrest. Police say they were responding to a possible drunk driver driving recklessly at 63rd and Florist.

According to the criminal complaint, Moua smelled of alcohol. Officer Kelly Parker told him to turn off the vehicle and he refused. The complaint says Moua then drove forward and dragged the officer. That's when Officer Parker hit him and pulled him to the ground and they struggled.

Moua talked for the first time Saturday, with the help from an interpreter.

He commented about his injuries but not about the case against him. "He says it still hurts my eye and my head over her and my shoulder here," Moua's interpreter said.

Police released the tapes of two 911 calls that back the officer's description of the incident. "There's somebody trying to run over an officer while he was in the door the officer just talked him to the ground," said one caller.

Giving no specifics, Moua's attorney Alan Eisenberg questions the authenticity of those tapes.

"I can not authenticate them. Nor can you. If those are genuine, let's see it," Eisenberg said.

The protesters are calling for Officer Parker's job. They say anything less is not justice.

"It doesn't add up to the severity of his beating. And that's why we're out here to express we don't support police brutality," said Kevin Her, a Hmong community activist.

But Chief Edward Flynn is standing by his officer and on Thursday called the protest disturbing.

"If we mess up on purpose there's going to be accountability. But we're not going to sit still and be the punching bag for everybody out there who wants to organize a constituency at our expense," said Flynn.

This is far from over. Moua's attorney is suing for $10 million.

Moua is due in court Monday.
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