Singer/Dj Solange Knowles has fired back at police reports surrounding a weekend altercation with law officials in Florida, insisting they have made "false statements" to the media.
The singer took to Twitter.com to vent her fury after an officer reportedly pulled a switchblade on her outside a club in Miami Beach on Saturday night (27Aug11).
The angry star wrote, "I have done Nothing illegal, against the law, or anything of the sort," and added, "I am simply tired of police using arrogance, ego and authority as an offense... I'm only tweeting this to raise awareness. I could have left quietly, but I am sick & tired of this scenario being played over & over again.
"It is time to do something about it. I am a mother raising a young black child in America. I'm going to die trying!"
Miami Beach police detective Juan Sanchez responded to E! News requests for a comment on Monday (29Aug11), explaining Knowles "became abusive" when she was refused entrance to a club. He insisted, "There was no mention of a gun."
Later on Monday, Knowles picked up the story, telling E! News, "Never once during the incident did I even raise my voice. I feel very strongly about standing up for myself when something is wrong, and am very disappointed in the way that the Miami Police Department has handled this case."
A rep for Knowles has filled out the story, explaining the star and two friends were told they could not enter a club with an inflatable banana they had with them.
The rep says, "They decided to go across the street to deflate the balloon, where they encountered two police officers who had casual, light-hearted conversation with them. One officer pulled out a switchblade and threatened to pop the balloon. They felt it was inappropriate, but the turning point happened when he then took out the switchblade a second time with the blade open and said to them, 'I don't find the humour in this, anymore.' The blade was less than a couple of feet away from Solange and her friends.
"Solange then asked the officer what was it that they did wrong, and he forcefully responded again to move. When a taxi pulled up, they got in and headed home. Solange made a series of calls to report the incident and was told to be prepared to be arrested when she came in to report the incident if her story was false. Solange simply wanted to report that the officer pulled out a weapon, when she had done nothing illegal, disruptive or belligerent.
"Solange is actively filing a report and has not yet decided on further legal action."