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Viral video shows Tempe police throwing ASU cheerleader to ground during arrest

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 5 outlets, mostly right-leaning (80%).

8 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

A viral video shows Tempe, Arizona police officers throwing Arizona State University senior and cheerleader Eryn Bonner to the ground and pinning her against a bicycle during a July 19 arrest outside a bar on Mill Avenue. Police say Bonner interfered with officers arresting another person and punched an officer multiple times; she was charged last week with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and interfering with police. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office declined to pursue felony charges. Bonner's attorney has called for the arresting officer to be fired, and her family said in a statement that it was heartbreaking to watch their daughter hurt by someone "entrusted to protect and serve." The Tempe Officers Association has defended the officers' actions.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Eryn Bonner, an ASU senior and cheerleader, was involved in a July 19 altercation with Tempe police outside a bar on Mill Avenue.

    Reported byRight

  2. Video shows an officer throwing Bonner to the ground and pinning her against a bicycle before she was handcuffed.

    Reported byRight

  3. Police allege Bonner punched an officer multiple times while officers were arresting another person.

    Reported byRight

  4. Bonner was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and interfering with police.

    Reported byRight

  5. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office declined to pursue felony charges against Bonner.

    Reported byRight

Show 2 more pointsShow fewer points

  1. Bonner's family and attorney criticized the officer's use of force and called for his firing.

    Reported byRight

  2. The Tempe Officers Association issued a statement defending the officers' conduct.

    Reported byRight

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Whether the officers' use of force was excessive or justified

    NY Post, Fox News, and Breitbart emphasize the video's depiction of officers shoving, pinning, and striking Bonner, with her family calling the incident heartbreaking; TheBlaze and the Tempe Officers Association frame the force as a response to Bonner allegedly punching and kicking an officer and ignoring commands.

How each side tells it

Compare views

  • the left

    1 outlet

    Mantle’s analysis has no note on this side yet. One of its headlines is shown.

    Video shows cheerleader shoved to the ground by police
    CBS NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    No coverage yet

    No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the right

    4 outlets

    Most right-leaning outlets emphasize the violence of the police response in their headlines ("shoved," "pummeled," "smacked"), while one outlet, TheBlaze, frames the story around Bonner's alleged misconduct and its consequences.

    Arizona State cheerleader in viral video claims cop ‘groped’ her, but union chief suspects she’s angling for ‘payday’
    New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Center

    Has not covered this story.

  • Right7

    violently slammed to the groundharrowing videopummeled by copsharshly smacked to the ground

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    violently slammed to the groundMore neutral: thrown to the ground

    "Violently slammed" adds dramatic emphasis beyond a neutral description of the physical action shown in the video.

    A viral video captured an Arizona college cheerleader being violently slammed to the ground and pummeled on top of a bicycle by cops after she allegedly interfered…

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Sensational language

    harrowing videoMore neutral: video

    Describing the video as "harrowing" characterizes its emotional impact rather than stating facts.

    …Eryn Bonner was hit with two misdemeanor charges last week in Tempe after a harrowing video captured cops allegedly leaving her covered in bruises during an arrest in July,…

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    pummeled by copsMore neutral: struck by officers

    "Pummeled" implies repeated, forceful beating beyond what is established and frames the officers' actions in dramatic terms.

    Viral video captures Arizona State University cheerleader being shoved to ground, pummeled by cops

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Sensational language

    harshly smacked to the groundMore neutral: pushed to the ground

    "Harshly smacked" adds dramatic, judgmental emphasis to the physical action depicted.

    …Arizona State cheerleader's arrest is going viral for showing her getting harshly smacked to the ground by police

    Used byBreitbart News (Far Right)

Show 3 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Sensational language

    smacked hard to the groundMore neutral: pushed to the ground

    This repeats the dramatic framing of the officer's action with intensified language.

    …State cheerleader’s arrest is going viral for showing the student being smacked hard to the ground by police, then handcuffed, and arrested for interfering with the arrest of…

    Used byBreitbart News (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    Shoved to the GroundMore neutral: pushed to the ground

    "Shoved" characterizes the officer's action with a judgmental verb rather than a neutral description.

    WATCH: Arizona State Cheerleader Shoved to the Ground, Hit by Cops After Interfering Arrest

    Used byBreitbart News (Far Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    and pays for itMore neutral: and is charged

    This phrase frames the charges and use of force as a deserved consequence rather than a neutral outcome, prejudging the matter.

    Female college senior allegedly punches cop, interferes with arrest — and pays for it

    Used byTheBlaze (Far Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

1 outlet
See the headline from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

4 outlets

Leads with

  • the viral video and physical force used
  • the family's and attorney's reaction
  • the misdemeanor charges and declined felony charges
See the 4 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • New York PostRight

    Arizona State cheerleader in viral video claims cop ‘groped’ her, but union chief suspects she’s angling for ‘payday’

    Eryn Bonner's and her legal team are "fictionalizing" the situation and despite clear video evidence that she struck a police officer, a veteran Tempe police officers claims.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)
    1 more from New York Post
  • TheBlazeFar Right

    Female college senior allegedly punches cop, interferes with arrest — Loaded modifier“and pays for it”This phrase frames the charges and use of force as a deserved consequence rather than a neutral outcome, prejudging the matter.More neutral: and is chargedDisagree with this highlight?

    A female Arizona State University senior allegedly punched a police officer and interfered in an arrest over the summer — after which police used force against her and criminally charged her. …

    Read at TheBlaze (opens in a new tab)
  • Breitbart NewsFar Right

    WATCH: Arizona State Cheerleader Loaded verb“Shoved to the Ground”"Shoved" characterizes the officer's action with a judgmental verb rather than a neutral description.More neutral: pushed to the groundDisagree with this highlight?, Hit by Cops After Interfering Arrest

    Video of an Arizona State cheerleader's arrest is going viral for showing her getting Sensational language“harshly smacked to the ground”"Harshly smacked" adds dramatic, judgmental emphasis to the physical action depicted.More neutral: pushed to the groundDisagree with this highlight? by police

    Read at Breitbart News (opens in a new tab)
  • Fox NewsFar Right

    Arizona State cheerleader charged after confrontation with police caught on viral video

    Viral police video shows Tempe, Arizona, officers throwing an Arizona State University cheerleader to the ground, leaving bruises on her face.

    Read at Fox News (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    1 day 13 hr later

    Its first report, Oct 6, 1:59 PM EDT

  • Center

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Right

    First to report

    New York Post, Oct 5, 12:00 AM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. New York PostRightOct 5, 12:00 AM EDT
  2. Fox NewsFar RightOct 5, 8:27 AM EDT
  3. Breitbart NewsFar RightOct 5, 2:26 PM EDT
  4. TheBlazeFar RightOct 5, 2:31 PM EDT
  5. CBS NewsLeftOct 6, 1:59 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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