Police violence against 13-year-old boy in Germany sparks criticism

By Mesut Zeyrek

COLOGNE, Germany (AA) - Footage of harsh intervention by police on a 13-year-old Turkish boy in Germany's Duisburg city for allegedly tearing an election poster has sparked outrage on social media.

In the footage recorded on April 12, two police officers were seen handcuffing Emirhan Altintas while one of the officers was pressing the boy's chest with his knee.

Despite opposition by people around, who said, "He's still a little kid. Let him go!" officers handcuffed Altintas behind his back.

Fatih Zingal, the lawyer of the Altintas family, shared the footage on Twitter, saying he would follow the incident legally.

"... I talked to the family. Emirhan could neither breathe nor say anything when the police officer pressed him to the ground. We will follow the case," he added.

After the footage went viral on social media, the violence against the 13-year-old boy was widely criticized by many users.