A video of Metropolitan Police officers in Washington, D.C., examining a Black teenager during a stop sparked a significant online backlash. The incident occurred as the teen cycled through a protest outside the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents Dinner.
The police interaction, where officers appeared to be handling the teenager from behind with a flashlight, was widely criticized as invasive.
Amidst protests in D.C. against the Biden administration's stance on the conflict in Israel and Palestine, the police justified the stop by claiming the teen was riding dangerously through the demonstration, though he faced no criminal charges.
According to the police, the teen was detained for not complying with officers' commands to reroute his cycling path, leading to his brief detainment. They also explained that the officers were merely adjusting the teen's handcuffs, which he complained were too tight.
"I was asking 1 of the police officers… why are you arresting a kid who just wanted to bike thru this lane? A spectator said: 'You don't know if this kid was on his way to kill somebody. UDK if he had a bomb or knife or planning to rob someone"
Link: Atlanta Black Star