From Iceland — Police Stabbing Victim Arrested Outside Parliament

Police Stabbing Victim Arrested Outside Parliament

Published February 16, 2015

Gabríel Benjamin
Photo by
Gabríel Benjamin

Chaplas Menka, a 35-year-old Liberian refugee who was famously stabbed by the police while in custody in September, was arrested outside parliament today, while protesting. Before his arrest, he said he had no income, and as a result had lost the roof over his head, and had been sleeping in the rough for the past few months.

Chaplas notified the Grapevine last week that he had received one month’s financial aid from social services, but that he couldn’t afford rent or the medical bills stemming from his injuries.

In a desperate plea, he positioned himself outside the doors of parliament, visibly distraught and shaking from the cold. Chaplas said his lawyer wasn’t helping him, and that the police and authorities were letting him freeze to death. Shortly after the Grapevine left, the four police officers on the scene arrested Chaplas.

At the time of writing, his lawyer could not be reached for comment.

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