This story's headline was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.
PROVIDENCE — A well-known lineman for the New England Patriots , Christian Barmore, accused Providence police of racism on social media early Wednesday morning after he was stopped in Providence and cited with license plate and registration violations.
Barmore, 25, of Foxboro drew attention from police when he drove on Elmwood Avenue in a Jeep Grand Cherokee with tinted front windows and a temporary license plate that was not easily read due to a cover, according to a police report.
Barmore's conduct after police signaled a traffic stop with flashing lights also raised interest, and his manner during interactions with officers was "aggressive" and "belligerent," the report says.
"I just experienced for the first time 5 Providence cops being very unprofessional," says a 1:22 a.m. post under Barmore's name. The post on X, formerly known as Twitter, adds, "racism at its finest."
Barmore did not elaborate further on his accusation, which fueled national headlines on Wednesday.
At some point, says the police report, officers tried to physically "get control of" Barmore who "kept pushing away from police" and "stating that he did not want to be touched."
Police believed his actions indicated something more serious
It's clear that the officers wondered if the situation with Barmore, which only lead to traffic violations, might lead to something more serious.
Rather than immediately stopping, Barmore had "slow rolled" along Elmwood, the police say.
Criminals sometimes try to gain an advantage by driving slowly before stopping, police say. Police say they saw Barmore attempting to conceal something under the seat "numerous times" as they commanded him to exit the vehicle.
Search of vehicle does not lead to charges
The temporary Pennsylvania registration for the Grand Cherokee that Barmore was driving had expired on Oct. 5, according to police.
Barmore was cited with three traffic violations, two related to the registration and one related to the display of the plate.
Barmore, who told officers not to touch him, left the scene, getting into another vehicle before police could return his license and other documents to him, the report says.
Prior to that, police told him they would search the Grand Cherokee, which would be towed from the scene, the report says.
Police ended up leaving Barmore's license, documents and a summons inside the SUV.
The search of the vehicle did not lead to any charges against Barmore.
Providence's police chief, Col. Oscar L. Perez Jr., defended the vehicle stop Wednesday.
"We will continue to review the situation to ensure that proper procedures were followed and to maintain transparency with the public," said Perez, who invited Barmore to reach out with any concerns.
What body camera footage shows
On Wednesday, police provided body camera footage recorded by two officers who made the traffic stop.
The audio is not complete but the footage shows much of what happened on Broad Street where Barmore was pulled over. It does not identify the two officers by both first and last name.
Finding Barmore aggressive, police ask him to confirm that they are treating him respectfully.
The lead officer at the stop, Officer David Carias, tells Barmore that they could not clearly see the license plate due to a cover over it. The exchange lengthens as they try to learn about the registration.
Barmore, seeing seven or eight officers, doesn't know what will happen when he climbs out of the SUV.
The officers don't know what they might, or might not, find in the vehicle.
Barmore is not immediately willing to climb out.
Together he and the other officers can hear the voice of a woman, whom police identify as his mother, from speakers on Barmore's cell phone.
Addressing them as "sir," she asks if the officers can wait for the arrival of a supervisor.
"It's not that serious, bro, please step out," says one officer.
A mother's request for gentle treatment of Patriots ' lineman
Barmore, growing agitated, says he doesn't have any weapons.
"I ain't no enemy," he says.
"I am being respectful," the officer says. "Please step out of the vehicle."
"Sir," warns the player's mother, "he's on blood thinner so you have to be extremely careful with him."
The officer says, "Right now I'm afraid we're going to have to take him out of the vehicle. And I don't want it to get to that point."
"If he just steps out that's not gonna be an issue," another officer suggests.
Barmore, who has not played this season after being diagnosed with blood clots in July, reacts intensely when the officer reaches through the window and unlatches the door. He yells "Don't touch me."
"Good choice," he is told when he steps out.
He's slow to move to the sidewalk on command and the officers warn that he will be locked up.
Finding nothing that they deem objectionable, police allow Barmore to walk to another vehicle that takes him away.
An officer expresses some concerns to the tow service operator.
The SUV is owned by a Patriots player, he tells the operator, and it's expensive, plus the windows are down and the player took the SUV's keys when he left the scene.
"We're trying to be nice to him," the officer says. "Be careful with the car."
This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccurate headline.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Cited with traffic violations, Patriots lineman asserts racism in online post
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