Coach handcuffed, considered 'violated' after taking steps to prevent brawl on court.
In a bizarre incident that has left many questioning the handling of security at Saturday's basketball game between Tuskegee University and Morehouse College, the university's coach, Benjy Taylor, was handcuffed by police as he attempted to maintain order and protect his team from what he described as "aggressive" behavior from Morehouse players.
According to athletic director Reginald Ruffin, Coach Taylor had sought to prevent a security breach by keeping opposing football players out of the postgame handshake line, which would have otherwise put him at risk of physical confrontation with potentially angry and rowdy opponents. However, his actions were deemed unacceptable by police, who took it upon themselves to restrain the coach, sparking widespread outrage on social media.
Coach Taylor's attorney has since stated that he was only trying to de-escalate a tense situation in order to protect his players and himself from harm. He claimed that the Morehouse football team had been following him aggressively and yelling obscenities as they attempted to join the handshake line, which put everyone involved at risk of violence.
While some have expressed sympathy for Coach Taylor's actions, others have praised the officer who handcuffed him for maintaining law and order on the court. However, many are now calling out the security measures that allowed this incident to occur in the first place, highlighting concerns about police overreach and inadequate support for coaches and players at high school and college sports events.
The incident has also raised questions about the treatment of Black coaches and athletes by law enforcement, who have historically been subject to disproportionate scrutiny and aggression. Coach Taylor's attorney has stated that his client is considering a civil lawsuit against the police department involved in the incident, citing a breach of his rights as a public figure.
As one social media commentator noted, "It's heartbreaking for me to see how my coach was treated today. He did what he thought was right to protect his players and himself."
In a bizarre incident that has left many questioning the handling of security at Saturday's basketball game between Tuskegee University and Morehouse College, the university's coach, Benjy Taylor, was handcuffed by police as he attempted to maintain order and protect his team from what he described as "aggressive" behavior from Morehouse players.
According to athletic director Reginald Ruffin, Coach Taylor had sought to prevent a security breach by keeping opposing football players out of the postgame handshake line, which would have otherwise put him at risk of physical confrontation with potentially angry and rowdy opponents. However, his actions were deemed unacceptable by police, who took it upon themselves to restrain the coach, sparking widespread outrage on social media.
Coach Taylor's attorney has since stated that he was only trying to de-escalate a tense situation in order to protect his players and himself from harm. He claimed that the Morehouse football team had been following him aggressively and yelling obscenities as they attempted to join the handshake line, which put everyone involved at risk of violence.
While some have expressed sympathy for Coach Taylor's actions, others have praised the officer who handcuffed him for maintaining law and order on the court. However, many are now calling out the security measures that allowed this incident to occur in the first place, highlighting concerns about police overreach and inadequate support for coaches and players at high school and college sports events.
The incident has also raised questions about the treatment of Black coaches and athletes by law enforcement, who have historically been subject to disproportionate scrutiny and aggression. Coach Taylor's attorney has stated that his client is considering a civil lawsuit against the police department involved in the incident, citing a breach of his rights as a public figure.
As one social media commentator noted, "It's heartbreaking for me to see how my coach was treated today. He did what he thought was right to protect his players and himself."
. Like, can't they just keep it civil? 
Coach Taylor's actions might've been a bit aggressive (pun intended), but come on, you'd expect cops to have some understanding of sports etiquette, right? 
And now he's got a lawsuit brewing? That's just gonna add fuel to the fire 
. I guess what I'm saying is, can't we just focus on supporting our coaches and players instead of always looking for someone to blame? 
I cant believe the cops just went and cuffed the coach! Like what even happened? He was just trying to keep everyone safe from some angry football players?! 
. it's like, police got the upper hand here & it's not right 
. & yeah, u can't deny that black coaches n athletes r often subjected 2 disproportionate scrutiny n aggression 
. it's time 4 some real accountability & changes in how security is handled at events like this 
.
. I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out - he was trying to keep those football players out of the handshake line because they were being super aggressive and yelling obscenities... that's not cool 
, none of this would have happened.
.
, like he was just trying to do his job and keep everyone safe. I get why the police were called in, but handcuffing him? That's some overkill right there 
. And what really gets me is that this whole thing could've been avoided if there was better communication between Coach Taylor and the authorities beforehand 
. It's crazy how our society can be so quick to judge and criticize without considering all the facts of the situation 
maybe it's time to reevaluate our security measures and make sure everyone's safe 
it's time for us to demand some real change in how law enforcement interacts with our communities, especially when it comes to sports events.
I mean, can you imagine being in that situation & having someone put their hands on you?! It's not about the coach doing anything wrong, it's about how the police reacted & whether they were respecting Coach Taylor's rights as a public figure 
the fact that he's considering a civil lawsuit is just the beginning...
, but police didn't understand the situation 
. Handcuffing him was a huge overreaction 
! It's like they forgot he's a coach not a bad guy 
, but did the cops have to take it that far? 
!
. But seriously, it's messed up that he got handcuffed for trying to keep everyone safe.
what if something actually did happen tho? who's gonna step up 2 protect these athletes? i'm not buying the "he was being aggressive" excuse 
. Coach Taylor's actions might've been seen as overzealous or even confrontational by some, but he was just trying to keep his team safe and protect them from potential harm 
.
. It's like, what if Coach Taylor had taken a deep breath, listened to both sides, and found a way to resolve the situation peacefully? 
We might've avoided this whole mess. Food for thought, you know? 
, but at the same time i get why cops might've felt threatened too 
.
.
and threatening him 
. It's not like he was trying to be tough or anything 
.
. Can't we just find a way to resolve conflicts peacefully without involving law enforcement? 
. It's time for some accountability from those in power 
. And let's be real, this is just another example of systemic issues affecting Black athletes and coaches 
. And what's up with these security measures that let this happen in the first place?!