Black Pastor Stages Fight at Symposium to Test White Officer Matthew Grimes' Reaction to 2 Black Men Fighting

Pastor James Harrington stages altercation between two black men at symposium Sgt. Matthew Grimes was invited to speak to see how a white officer would react to fight.

Race relations continue to take a turn for the worst in the United States. Some members of Indianapolis' black community and the Metropolitan Police Department are still on a war path weeks after an altercation that led to the injury of a white police officer, Matthew Grimes, during a presentation to a youth symposium on July 24th that officials are saying was staged. James Harrington, pastor of the Mt. Vernon Missionary Baptist Church said he set up the scenario to test a white officer's reaction to a fight between two black men. That is problematic on so many levels, particularly if the officer was not told the altercation was staged.

According to Indy Channel 6, Sgt. Grimes was asked to give a presentation to a church audience on July 24 at Municipal Gardens, in the 1800 block of Lafayette Road. During the presentation, an altercation broke out in the crowd, and Grimes intervened. The officer was thrown to the ground and drew his Taser, ready to stun one of the people involved, police said.

At that point, someone stepped in and told the officer that the incident had been concocted to test the reaction of the officer to the situation, police said. Grimes suffered severe back spasms after the incident and was taken to Methodist Hospital for treatment. 

Sorry, but Pastor Harrington's actions were reckless and I agree with the police chief to call for charges in this incident. The reality is that the officer could have been hurt far worse or even one of the men he tried to subdue. This isn't how you solve racial issues in this country.