They didn’t beat him at all. But if they had wanted to make an example of him they would have. Again, I don’t agree with the kid being on some kind of list or being asked these questions. But it could have gone a lot worse.
When I was in my early twenties I had the misfortune of being on the receiving end of some local police who were stepping way over bounds in their questioning me, accusing me of all sorts of things because I was (according to them) in the wrong place at the wrong time. They did not do it nicely. Their behavior was really over the top and kind of scary for a kid. But I kept calm, was respectful, and walked away from the incident without any kind of record. But it could of easily gone the other way because they were provoking me.
This kid was not provoked. Just asked a lot of inappropriate questions because he was on the Feds little red list.
And as long as they’re civil and somewhat polite, you’re okay with that?