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Police in Iowa have released footage from an officer's body camera in an attempt to prove the arrest of a black man last month was not racial profiling.

Keilon Hill, 24, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, had been campaigning for Republican congressman David Young in a residential area of West Des Moines, Iowa, when he was approached by Police Officer Clint Ray.

Officer Ray, recording the exchange on his body cam, told Mr Hill he was responding to a call about a 'suspicious person' in the area and asked the campaigner to identify himself - and Mr Hill refused.

Arrested: Keilon Hill, 24, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, had been canvassing in a residential area of West Des Moines, Iowa, when he was approached by a police officer

'Suspicious person': Mr Hill can be heard asking repeatedly what crime he is being accused of committing, to which Officer Clint Ray responds that he is conducting an investigation

The video footage shows Officer Ray repeatedly telling Mr Hill he is responding to the call from a resident, and that this is why he is asking him to clarify who he is so he can conclude his investigation.

Mr Hill refuses to give him information, stating that he has done nothing wrong and does therefore not have to identify himself. 

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Mr Hill can be heard asking repeatedly what crime he is being accused of committing, to which Officer Ray responds that he is conducting an investigation into a suspicious person. 

In the video footage, Mr Hill can be heard saying 'I work for the people who pay you, I work for somebody who will get on your motherf***ing ass'. 

After Mr Hill would neither follow instructions to stop walking away, nor answer the officer's questions, he was arrested on a charge of harassment of a public official.

Video: Police body cam footage shows Mr Hill being approached, after which he himself starts to record their exchange on his mobile phone

Rude language: Mr Hill can be heard swearing at the police officer, saying: 'I work for the people who pay you'

Mr Hill had been campaigning for Republican congressman David Young in a residential area of West Des Moines when a resident reported his behavior as suspicious

'People need to see for a second the world from a cop's eyes and that's what we're going to do today,' West Des Moines Police Chief Chris Scott told Des Moines Register.

West Des Moines Police released the body cam footage as a response to video recorded by Mr Hill on his mobile phone of the incident.  

Mr Hill and the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement released the footage of the incident on October 29, accusing Officer Ray and Des Moines police of racial profiling. 

In a statement, Mr Hill said: 'I do not live in this community, but I felt compelled to share my experience. 

'There will be another 24-year-old Black man that will be stopped tomorrow, who may not know his rights. 

Investigation:  Mr Hill's mobile phone footage shows Police Officer Clint Ray following him and demanding that he identify himself despite not having done anything wrong

After Mr Hill swore at the officer and would neither follow the his instructions nor identify himself, he was arrested

'It is important to address these issues within every community in Des Moines that has suffered at the hands of an agency charged with protecting the citizens that inhabit them.

'Within 5 days of my stay in Des Moines, I had two police encounters, with one ending in an arrest. 

'These encounters happened while I was out working in affluential, Caucasian neighborhoods. I had work materials with me. I stood up for myself because I had the right to. 

'The laws of every state and how to handle police interactions have been embedded in my mind because you have to be ready for these things at any moment as an African American person. 

'I hope that my story prevents another minority from going through a similar situation.'

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