Controversial Photo: Texas Mounted Police Wear Handcuffed Black Man With Rope

Police chief Galveston, Texas, Vernon Hale, apologized on Monday after airing a photo showing two white policemen on horseback carrying a black man handcuffed on a rope.

The photo, become viral on social networks, has caused outrage from the people who compared it to the era of slavery.

Hale justified the procedure as acceptable in some scenarios, but acknowledged that "the agents have been discriminating in this case".

The police chief stated that there was no "malicious intent" and that he had changed the department's policy to "avoid using this technique".

The explanation of the police

The two officers, P Brosch and A Smith, arrested Donald Neely for an invasion of private property, according to a statement from the Galveston Police Department.

At the time of the photo, the police were driving Neely to a police station.

Police said that the man was not tied with the rope, but "they handcuffed and put a rope to the women".

"We understand the negative perception of this action and feel that it is more appropriate to stop using this technique," police added.

Hale apologized to Neely for the "useless shame" that he had to endure.

Modern Slavery: "I had to eat dog food to survive"

He added that the police "could have expected a transport unit at the place of arrest".

"We have immediately changed the policy to avoid the use of this technique and we will review all the training and procedures of these mounted police officers to find more appropriate methods," said the police chief.

Neely is on bail but could not be reached for comment, reported the Houston Chronicle.

"A stupid mistake"

Leon Phillips, director of the Galveston County Justice Coalition, told the BBC that the image that had become viral on social media had been taken by someone who wanted to remain anonymous.

Phillips said that it was a "hard to say" incident as a resident of Galveston, a city with a slave past.

"It was a stupid mistake," he said. "What I do know is that if he had been a white man, there would be no way to do that to him."

He pointed out that Neely was a mentally ill person and that the agents would have had to wait, no matter how long it would take for a vehicle to arrive, because "it's not that." 39, they are paid by arrest ".

Phillips said he plans to ask the municipality to badyze data on law enforcement policies or techniques.

"The police chief said that no rule had been broken, but what is the policy of transporting an inmate?"

"How can I know that this policy was not written in 1875? There are still many unanswered questions."

BBC