Polo G's mother spoke out against his arrest on social media.
The Miami Police Department announced Saturday the arrest of Polo G and others following an overnight traffic stop.
Police said an officer initiated a traffic stop at the intersection of South Biscayne Boulevard and S.E. 1 Street at approximately 12:30 a.m.
Polo G, whose real name is Taurus Bartlett, 22, along with others is facing charges following his arrest.
Cell phone video captured by his mother shows more than 30 police cars.
Bartlett’s mother, Stacia Mac, was not happy, saying police pulled over Polo G and her younger son, whom she said police would not let her approach.
“My son Polo G came from his afterparty at Allure and basically they stopped them because they were driving while black. Let’s keep in mind they were driving in a licensed vehicle with security and a driver. He wasn’t even the person driving,” she said.
According to a police report, the car Bartlett was in was pulled over.
The report said the officer and Bartlett ended up in a struggle on the ground and while the officer was trying to handcuff him Bartlett struck him multiple times.
“This is ridiculous. And the only crime they committed is being black and successful,” said the mom.
Bartlett’s mom went on to tweet:
“None of these charges would be possible if the police did not make contact with my son Polo G!!! He was NOT the driver. He was a PASSENGER in a professionally licensed vehicle with security. He was moving smart and correctly. What more could he have done?”
The city of Miami Police Department has initiated a review of this incident, which will include an examination of all camera footage
Police said Polo G is facing:
• Battery on a Police Officer
• Threats to a Public Servant
• Resisting Officer with Violence to His Person
• Resisting Officer without Violence to His Person
• Criminal Mischief
Others arrested in the incident face one or more of the following charges:
• Driving While License Suspended
• No Valid Driver’s License
• Resisting Officer without Violence to His Person
• Disorderly Conduct / Breach of Peace
The documents say Bartlett was aggressive as he resisted arrest in downtown Miami. One of the officers said he had ordered him and all the passengers in the car he was traveling in to get out of the vehicle to pat them down for firearms, saying he suspected they carried weapons because they heard a passenger claim the vehicle was bulletproof.
Police spokesman Michael Vega said it also was investigating several threats received against personnel and facilities in response to Polo G's arrest.
The Chicago-based artist had just released his newest album “Hall of Fame” on Friday. His single “Rapstar” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April. His mother and manager said on Instagram that Polo G and his younger brother were riding in a car with security after an album release party.
Mom posted a message on Facebook saying she had bonded out Polo G and other people who were arrested in the same traffic stop. Jail records did not list an attorney for the artist.
(This story was originally published by CBS Miami on June 13 at 10 a.m. ET)
UPDATE:
After the arrest, Bartlett subsequently took to Twitter to address the incident.
His sister tweeted about the arrest on Saturday as well, writing, "I remember the last time Polo went to jail about 3 years ago. He came home and IMMEDIATELY sat our two younger siblings down and assured them that that was not the example he wanted to set for them and that he would strive to be a better role model! He kept his word!!!"
"We went from celebrating a successful album with my family to watching my brothers be targeted and aggressively mishandled and thrown around by police," she claimed. "Yall should've seen how they had damn near 30 cop cars. All our guests who came to celebrate on the ground being manhandled!!!!"