A band director in Birmingham was tased and criminally charged after he stubbornly refused to end his band’s post-football game performance, according to the police. Johnny Mims, the band director, is facing charges of disorderly conduct, physical harassment, and resisting arrest. The incident occurred after a game between Minor High School and P.D. Jackson-Olin High School. The Minor High School band continued playing in the stands during the “fifth quarter,” a tradition for some marching bands. Bodycam footage from the Birmingham Police Department shows officers approaching the band a whopping 18 minutes after the game had already ended. Despite the officers’ request to wrap up, the band instructor defiantly continued conducting the band. Chaos erupted when the field lights were turned off, causing students to scream. Finally, after the band stopped playing, police tried to arrest Mims. They accused him of swinging at an officer, a claim he vehemently denied. Eventually, the officers resorted to using a taser on Mims before finally handcuffing him. The Birmingham Police Department is supposedly investigating the incident, although no further details have been released.
