SWEETWATER, Fla. – A 61-year-old resident of the Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park bonded out of jail and checked herself into a hospital following a rough arrest that sparked a protest outside of Sweetwater City Hall.
The criminal case against Vivian Hernández comes amid rising tensions over a looming eviction to residents of the park. Residents have until May to leave.
Cellphone video shows Hernández on the ground, being physically forced into handcuffs by a Sweetwater police officer during an arrest for disorderly conduct and trespassing.
According to an arrest report, Hernández went to the property’s office to pay her rent but then, “became angry and began to yell at the staff that was assisting in relocation.”
Authorities said Hernández was told to leave but refused.
“She’s not going to comply, she’s resisting and not listening to the officer’s commands and we see he reaches to try to stand her up now to place her into custody, that’s where the resistance, the altercation occurs and then he redirects her to the ground,” said Alvaro Zabaleta, a spokesperson for the city of Sweetwater and the Sweetwater Police Department.
Hernández said she dealt with neck and eye pain after the takedown.
She told reporters in Spanish on Thursday that she feels that officers are supposed to protect the public.