A video has captured the moment a “traumatised” Muslim businessman lost consciousness after police responded to a false claim that he “pledged allegiance” to ISIS outside an Ohio hotel.
41-year-old Ahmed Al Menhali, owner of a business marketing company from Abu Dhabi, was standing outside a hotel in Avon, Ohio and talking on his mobile in Arabic when he was approached by five police officers with guns, shouting at him to get on the ground.
Within minutes of being surrounded by the police officers, Mr Al Menhali fainted and has since been hospitalised.
He is believed to have suffered a stroke.
Julia Shearson, the executive director of the CAIR in Cleveland, told The Independent said she visited the businessman in hospital where he is staying at least one night.
“He’s traumatised and can’t speak right now. The great irony is he was looking for a hotel room because the apartment he was staying in was being used for the RNC,” she said, referring to the upcoming Republican National Committee’s conference.
He had been in the US for medical reasons.
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“The fact that the police referred to his clothing in their report as a criminal indicator is very concerning,” she added. “Police need more diversity training. This is shocking to have happened in Avon, one of the most affluent and suburban neighbourhoods outside of Cleveland.”
“I am a tourist. This is not good,” Mr Al Menhali says repeatedly in the video as he is lying on the floor.
“Yeah, it’s not good. That’s right,” a police officer responds.
They had been responding to a 911 call from the sister of a woman working as a hotel clerk at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Avon.
She said her sister had told her there was a man in the hotel lobby “in full head dress with multiple disposable phones pledging his allegiance to Isis.”
The clerk’s father also called 911 and requested police to come to the hotel.
In the video, the police shout at Mr Al Menhali to “relax” while ordering him to turn to his side, then to stand up.
Authorities point guns at him, put him in handcuffs, carry out a body search, go through his wallet and take off his shoes without giving him any explanation.
“You’ve broken my telephone also,” he complains.
“Yeah? Well you’ve broken my nail,” replies one of the policemen.
Police did not find any weapons on Mr Al Menhali.
They talked to the clerk and discovered he had not made any statements relating to ISIS.
