Woman Arrested at Alabama Waffle House in Plastic Cutlery Dispute

Police officers in Saraland, Alabama, faced accusations they used excessive force to arrest a black woman at a Waffle House in the early hours of Sunday, April 22, during a dispute over plastic cutlery.

This video of Chikesia Clemons’s arrest was captured by her friend Canita Adams. It shows the moment officers detained Clemons and pushed her to the floor. At one point during the arrest, Clemons can be heard asking the officers “What are you doing?” to which an officer responds, “I’ll break your arm, that’s what I’m about to do.”

The dramatic arrest happened at the Waffle House on Industrial Parkway in Saraland, according to AL.com. Police were called after Clemons insisted she should not have to pay a 50 cent charge for plastic cutlery, as she had not previously been charged for cutlery the night before at the same restaurant.

A sit-in protest was held at the restaurant on Sunday afternoon, AL.com said.

Clemons faces charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, the report said. A police spokesman told the news site it was investigating the arrest and the accompanying social media video. Credit: Canita Adams via Storyful