A short time ago in a galaxy near, near here…
On May the 4th, a young woman dressed as a Star Wars Stormtrooper marched around her place of employment trying to bring joy to those around her. For May 4th is considered to be Star Wars Day; the young woman was dressed up to promote this day.
However, what seemed to be a day of harmless fun and frivolity would soon become a day of despair. A day the young woman would remember for the rest of her life.
A video has been circulating around the Internet, a caught on camera moment of a young woman in a Star Wars Stormtrooper cosplay outfit surrounded by three police cars, and police officers pointing their guns while yelling at the young woman. It is an astounding scene to look at. The video was filmed by a local man passing by the scene; he later posted it on his social media. News of the incident travelled fast.
In Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada a local restaurant, The Coca Vanilla Galactic Cantina, was putting on a promotion to celebrate the unofficial fan holiday of May the 4th or “May the Force.” A day where fans celebrate Star Wars. It is also celebrated on social media with #MayThe4thBeWithYou.
The local business had music playing in the parking lot of the restaurant and bar. The female employee dressed as a Stormtrooper, a villain from the Star Wars films, was walking around the lot while waving at passerbys, and taking pictures with customers. One of her tasks on this day was to entice potential customers to go into the restaurant.
Apparently, the local police department received a couple of phone calls reporting that a person dressed up as a Stormtrooper holding a gun. With three police officers standing around her, and with guns drawn- the woman stands there almost looking frozen in the moment.
Even though we cannot see her face under the helmet, her body language tells the story of pure astonishment and fear. We can also hear her crying underneath the helmet.
In the video she complies with the police, and places the toy Star Wars blaster on the ground, and then holds her hands up. She is doing what the police are ordering her to do; with the exception of bending down on her knees and going to the ground as one officer orders her, “On your belly!”
Bradley Whalen, the restaurant and bar owner stated about the incident,
“Police officers had guns drawn, pointed at my employee. They were yelling at her to put the gun down so she threw the plastic gun on the ground. At that point in time when I came out, she was on her knees kneeling down on the ground. The police had already checked and seen that the gun was plastic so they already knew that there wasn’t an issue or a risk there.”
Anyone with common sense can see from viewing the incident how difficult it would be to get down to the ground in such a constrictive costume. The female stormtrooper also relayed to the officers that it was difficult to get down in that costume.
According to police documents of the incident, they claim that she placed the toy firearm on the ground, but she was not following their other orders. The video shows the opposite.
The young woman was trying her best to comply but getting to the ground in such a difficult and bulky costume was easier said than done for this cosplayer. If anyone were in a similar situation, and they knew that they did not do anything to cause such a commotion; it seems to be a normal human emotion to freeze up in such a moment as this.
After the police officers subdued the female stormtrooper; they placed her inside one of the police cruisers. The officers may have realized that the female stormtrooper posed no type of threat, and released her at the scene along with no charges against her.
The 19 year old woman also received a bloody nose from falling face down on the ground. A review into the actions of the Lethbridge Police Officers at the scene will be investigated by the Lethbridge Police Service.
Many people may understand that it is a tense time. Since recently there was a mass shooting involving an armed individual dressed up as a police officer; which killed 22 people within a rural community within the area of Nova Scotia, Canada. This episode is a great example of how public fear can lead to extreme expectations involving what turns out to be an innocent daily life situation.
People also understand that it is a police officer’s job to create a secure and safe environment in criminal situations. However, common sense needs to take precedence. Each situation needs to be weighed differently. This event is not the other event, and it does not make the police look good, or appear competent.
The public does support the police, and want to believe that they have good and clear judgement in various types of important situations when protecting the public. However decisions should not be only based on emotion and fear.
In this writer’s opinion they failed this young woman; she will surely (and unfortunately) remember this moment for the rest of her life. It will definitely affect the decisions she makes in life, and her view of police officers. She maybe will forgive, but there may be some skepticism within her.
Hopefully, the police learn lessons from this mistake in judgement. People make mistakes; there can always be room for personal growth and forgiveness. If the police in Lethbridge are sincerely sorry- they along with the young woman can all move on, and maybe have a nice laugh about it in the future.
Featured image by reglohsg from Pixabay
