Citizens support police after viral video

CAVE CITY, Arkansas (KAIT) – Cave City residents are demonstrating for police after a viral video was released.

On Wednesday, August 14, a video was posted on YouTube showing an interaction between a Cave City man and a police officer in 2023. The caption claimed that a police officer assaulted the man.

The Cave City Police Department’s Facebook group page was flooded with messages from users across the country, but Mayor Jonas Anderson said the negative comments were not limited to Facebook.

“We’ve experienced everything you know, from angry comments to, unfortunately, a few death threats that have come in at City Hall against our officers, and it’s just unfortunate all around,” he said.

The city provided K8 News with bodycam footage of the encounter at City Hall. Anderson said while he understands why some might be upset by the video, he also said those viewers don’t see what happened before police arrived.

“The man was really upset, banging on the office doors, yelling at our desk clerk and just behaving inappropriately,” Anderson said.

Since the video was released, local residents have expressed their support for the police.

Anderson said some were upset about the encounter, but the department has received an outpouring of support online and at home.

“People here have known these guys since they were kids, and you know, most people here have known me since I was a little kid. They know our staff, they know what we’re about,” he said.

Anderson said he did not want the video to mislead citizens and had a message for residents.

“If a citizen is wronged by the City of Cave City, we will make it right, whether it is through the police or other agencies,” he said.

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