White lawyer spits on black teenager during anti-racist Wisconsin protest, kicks arresting cop in groin: Report
A 64-year-old lawyer from Wisconsin was arrested on Sunday, June 7, after she allegedly spat on a black teen protester. The same white woman was later caught in another footage shoving a college student who was writing protest messages in front of her house, reports state.
The lawyer, identified as Stephanie Rapkin, reportedly blocked an anti-racism rally in Shorewood on Saturday, June 6, by parking her car in the street. When the protesters asked her to move her vehicle, she spat on 17-year-old Eric Patrick Lucas III, who had helped organize the demonstration, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Rapkin was later arrested and faces charges of battery and disorderly conduct. She is currently booked into the Milwaukee County Jail and her bail has been set at $950. Community leaders in the region, however, have demanded strong actions against Rapkin, with some demanding that she be disbarred and charged with a hate crime.
The teen, while talking to the outlet, said: "I continue to be mentally and physically shaken. To be assaulted by an adult in my own community during a pandemic was traumatic. Again and again, I am viewed not as a child but as a color."
The 64-year-old was also filmed in an altercation with 21-year-old Ithaca College senior Joe Friedman, who had been writing protest messages in chalk on the sidewalk in front of her home. Friedman's messages read "Be better than this" and "I spit on a child" among others. Rapkin was seen shoving Friedman in the clip.
A Shorewood resident, Debra Brehmer, shared the video of Rapkin confronting Freidman, her son, and several other people outside her house. Friedman told Rapkin on camera: "You spit on a child," to which the 64-year-old responded by saying, "You people are so incredibly stupid, it isn’t funny. I spit on a man who attacked me.”
Friedman then said: "He did not attack you. How did he attack you?" The woman then rushed toward the 21-year-old and said: "I said I was sorry, but when someone comes over to you like this" — she appeared to shove the college student. Friedman, in response, said: "You just put your hands on me. That is assault right there. Wow, I just got that on video, ma’am. You are f—- bat—– crazy." Friedman then called the police.
Reports state that as she was being arrested in link to the incident, she allegedly kicked a police officer in the groin, according to authorities. Milwaukee Police Department released a statement, saying: "The victim in today’s incident reported he was peacefully protesting on the sidewalk in front of suspect’s home, when the suspect came out and engaged in a verbal altercation with the protesters. The victim reported the suspect then slapped both of her hands on the victim’s chest and physically pushed him."
Authorities are reportedly pursuing charges of battery, disorderly conduct, battery to a law enforcement officer and resisting/obstructing an officer.
A complaint with the state Office of Lawyer Regulation has also been filed by Michael Maistelman, an election law attorney, asking for an investigation into Rapkin for possible professional misconduct.