I honestly have not seen enough of the reports to know much at all about Officer Crowley or the incident. I don't know if the arrest was justified or not. From what I have read, I would think that it is possible that it was justified, but I can understand why Mr. Gates would have been angry about the treatment he received. From what I have seen, I don't think Officer Crowley was necessarily racist but maybe a bit arrogant as police tend to get when people question their authority.
I believe to Gates it was about his RACE, from his perception based on his assumptions. I do not believe it came from Officer Crowley. Which would make GATES the racist in that equation, IMHO, acting Stupidly!
I also believe the officer should have remained professional, and once he knew the reason he was called to the Gates residence was resolved, he should have just walked away. Was Gates arrest legal? YES, was it Just? I doubt it. and it certainly could have been avoided if either of them had not acted STUPIDLY!
Gates SHOULD have THANKED the officer for responding to the situation at his residence in a timely manner!
The officer SHOULD have left after the reason he was called to the gates residence was resolved!
Neither of those things happened.... As they both acted stupidly... Gates was his own worst enemy