Check CU has acquired security camera footage of an incident which occurred at the Red Lion bar in Champaign, Illinois. An altercation which occurred around 2am on March 5th, 2022 between a patron and a Red Lion staff member resulted in a young woman leaving the scene in an ambulance.
The video from the interior vestibule of the Red Lion shows a staff member holding a patron by her arms and pushing her through the bar and out the door. The exterior video shows the woman release from his grip, turn and take a swing at the staff member. It is not clear from the video if she actually lands a blow.
The next sequence is difficult to discern, but from a frame by frame analysis, it appears that the staff member then grabs the woman’s wrist and elbow and torques her arm while driving forward and down. The maneuver results in the woman striking the pavement.
The Champaign Police Department did not attempt to view or ask for any video from inside of the bar which may show what prompted the staff member to push the woman out of the building. Champaign Police Officer Dillon Holloway indicated in his report that the woman was the “offender” and the Red Lion staff member was the “victim”.
Police reports from the University of Illinois Police Department and the Champaign Police Department are provided below. Also provided is a full length (25 minute) version of the exterior camera video which shows the entirety of the resulting police response.
This mistreatment and coordinated cover-up does not surprise me. I’ve survived – barely – University of Illinois Police blame-the-victim misconduct – lies, false reports, devastating malicious misrepresentation, and cover-up to the highest level as well. My case is very different, but one thing in common stands out from reading this article: the UIPD had access to security camera footage in my case too, that would have instantly proven my innocence, as well as proven that the real offender – a sexual predator on faculty whom the UIPD was protecting – was lying to them. But “detective” Rachael Ahart never even sought campus security video (because – oops – what if it showed the professor was lying?), and never referenced its existence in her “investigative” reports.
Who polices the police?
In my experience, no one. They victimize and revictimize with impunity, protected by superiors, prosecutors, judges, and the news media, too. Thank you, CHECK CU, for citizen journalism that exposes the incompetence and corruption.