Transgender man says police humiliated him during traffic stop

EAST POINT, Ga. — A local man says East Point police arrested him during a traffic stop to verify his gender and now he's demanding an apology.

“We're asking for justice,” Juan Evans told Channel 2’s Kerry Kavanaugh.

Evans and about two dozen supporters marched for justice in East Point Thursday. They say they rallied because they want East Point police to address their culture, a culture they believe is intolerant.

"I was pulled over because I am ‘trans.’ I was humiliated, I was ridiculed and I was repeatedly threatened with them doing a genital search on me,” Evans said.

Evans says, last week, East Point officers stopped him for speeding. According to Evans, who is transgendered, when he couldn't provide his identification, the officers wanted to verify his gender through a genital search.

Kavanaugh asked police for a copy of the incident report, but did not get a response.

"I was arrested because they said they were taking me in to do a gender search," Evans said.

Evans says that personal search did not happen, but harassment did.

“I was called an 'it' I was called a 'thing' and I was repeatedly threatened of them doing a gender search on me," he said.

"We want dignity. We want to be respected. We're asking for an apology for Juan,” said Everett Thompson with the Racial Justice Action Center.

A group of supporters first tried to meet with the police chief. When that didn't happen, they marched to city hall to meet with the mayor. Six people went in.

Channel 2 Actions News tried to sit in on the meeting, but city officials denied access to our camera.

"We will not be silenced, we will not be shamed and humiliated," Evans said.

Evans says the mayor is organizing a second meeting Friday with the police chief.

The city confirms they are investigating this matter.

Channel 2 Action News called and emailed East Point police, but did not receive a response.

WSBTV