Who Is Bryant Amastha? Quadriplegic Influencer Clashes with Florida Cops
Recently, videos from body cams have surfaced on social media that captured the encounter of disabled YouTuber, Bryant Amastha, and Florida police.
The incident which happened in July has caused discussions and has received a lot of attention on social media.
Bryant Amastha, 32, who is known on YouTube as the recording artist El Valien-T, found himself at the centre of controversy after a dramatic encounter with Miami police.
The events captured on the footage show Amastha, a quadriplegic man who is bound to a motorized wheelchair, pushing into an officer during his mother’s arrest.
The video footage in question has already gone viral; in it, Amastha approaches an officer in his wheelchair and begins to aggressively speed himself towards him, all the while accusing the man of mocking him.
The fight started when Amastha decided to make a 911 call following a dispute with his mother. He initially downplayed the incident, claiming she had only “grazed” him, and appeared anxious as police decided to arrest her.
During the call, Amastha explained that his mother, who had previously been arrested under the Baker Act, a law allowing involuntary detention for those with mental health issues was struggling with depression and bipolar disorder but had stopped taking her medication and visiting her psychiatrist.
Amastha, who was arrested in May on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer had requested the police to keep his mother under the Baker Act rather than arrest her. His appeals were also ignored and this led to his reaction.
In the video recording, Amastha appeared to be aggressive as he moved close to one of the police officers, which led to an exchange of words, and stated that he attacked the police officer.
After the incident, regarding the actions taken by him, Amastha answered in court. He first denied that he struck the officer and said that the police had mistreated him. However, the Miami-Dade Police Department affirmed they have no records of any complaint for abuse of Amastha and the handling of the case or damage to his wheelchair.
Amastha, who is a Colombian artist and producer, has gained a significant following on social media, particularly on Instagram, where he boasts nearly 100,000 followers. His YouTube channel features music videos showcasing his talents and his unique position as a Latin urban music icon in a wheelchair.
