He was preparing to travel to Flushing Meadows for the US Open in 2015 when he was suddenly pushed to the ground without warning. Former World No.4 James Blake was then handcuffed and arrested by a plainclothes police officer in what later turned out to be a case of mistaken identity regarding fraud.
The police officer in question now faces a disciplinary hearing to ascertain weather he used excessive force when mistakenly apprehending the former tennis star. Blake is expected to attend.
Speaking with ABC News in the aftermath of the event Blake said: “I didn’t want to talk to anyone about it, I was so shaken up… I know a lot of people have no voice, have no recourse. I’m lucky enough to have the opportunity to be sitting here with you, to be able to tell this story and let people know that this happens too often.”
On the use of excessive force Blake said: “It was so blatant, so obvious. I was standing there, doing nothing, not running, not resisting, in fact smiling.”
The New York Police Department later apologised and started a fellowship in the name of James Blake in the interests of ensuring that people who have claims of abuse made against the police department are properly investigated.
Blake’s new book “Ways of Grace” focuses on sports and activism, drawing in part on his own experiences that occurred in 2015.
