41 People Of Color Talk About The Time The Police Hassled Them For No Reason
It’s funny, but it’s not just a joke.
As a foil to #CrimingWhileWhite, the trending #AliveWhileBlack is incredible. While ‘Criming’ is full of White people telling stories about how they were let go by police after committing crimes, ‘Alive’ is people of color talking about a daily life of discouragement and a generalized anxiety and fear that they’ll be hassled by police or even arrested while doing nothing wrong.
You can put every one of these on a list of things that will likely never happen to me and a lot of them are Onion-level absurd like being asked “what you’re doing here” while carrying groceries in a grocery store parking lot.
PSA: Black America has no problem with police officers. We have a problem with crooked racist police officers.
— Huey (@BOSSdowdell) December 4, 2014
was made to step out of my own vehicle at night after a traffic stop for nothing. he was surprised that my car was mine. #alivewhileblack
— evan (@intechnicolor) December 4, 2014
Got arrested raising money for pediatric cancer b/c the cop didnt like me asking him questions on where we could stand #alivewhileblack
— Brandi (@brandidoxie) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/iRockJoshA/status/540542501556195328
#alivewhileblack 1:30 am I made too wide of a turn when I pulled into my driveway,cop had a flash light in my face,police lights everywhere.
— Candace Michelle (@fashiondiva1984) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/KeylaRosa_/status/540542477632282624
Worked at H&M Gtown in college. Caught a girl stealing. Cops immediately walk over to interrogate me 1st @JamilahLemieux #alivewhileblack
— Ashley Mosley Dickens (@ashmosley) December 4, 2014
Made a complete stop at the stop sign. Pulled over just to accuse me of NOT making a complete stop. I had witnesses. #AliveWhileBlack
— Big Ma (@_KiSSableCHEEKz) December 4, 2014
Pulled over after dropping off friends @ hotel. Said he saw us arrive & leave too soon after. Told him he's profiling… #alivewhileblack
— Black Devereaux (@ladylareaux) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/CopperLampSarah/status/540542342655410176
https://twitter.com/HypemanFresco/status/540542333843173376
Sunday night 4 yr old goddaughter missing, I'm running streets w/ hoodie on searching for her cops stop me ask questions #alivewhileblack
— Tina (@laidbackchick) December 4, 2014
They say "we pulled you over because you didnt have no lights on your bike." Mind you the sun haven't even thouroghly set. #AliveWhileBlack
— Isiah Greene (@igfromthe323) December 4, 2014
I now realize that I shop and don't browse stores because when I was a kid my mom and I were oft-followed in stores. #alivewhileblack
— Sperry Bonds (@TheTopGrant) December 4, 2014
#alivewhileblack dad was stopped in a elementary school parking lot in a red Dodge Magnum, we were picking up my little sister.
— Zuko’s Mama (@Ms_KelliBaby) December 4, 2014
Had a spinal cord injury in 8th grade. Least favorite 7th grade teacher told students it was because I sassed her. #alivewhileblack -_-
— Robert (@RLM_3) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/cuteepye01/status/540541985216405506
#alivewhileblack I was 1 block from my house, I was stopped, tail light out,I was patted,put in a police car. Cop lived right next door.Smh.
— Candace Michelle (@fashiondiva1984) December 4, 2014
was late to school & got picked up by truancy officers. I get wrestled to the ground & cuffed for not spitting out my gum #alivewhileblack
— ilove_poetry (@loud__whispers) December 4, 2014
pulled over and searched because the pine tree air freshener looked like a marijuana leaf. #alivewhileblack
— Narwhal Smith (@toophattoofly) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/gowithjordan/status/540541847307698180
https://twitter.com/kcheersbye/status/540541845810712577
https://twitter.com/BruceLeland/status/540541601295400961
https://twitter.com/foolforbaltimor/status/540541572589563904
https://twitter.com/iRockJoshA/status/540541475159699456
Age 17 pulled over trying to take my mom's car to the car wash. Cop assumed I stole the vehicle. #Alivewhileblack
— This is the way (@MainePrince) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/GrooveSDC/status/540541333115396097
#alivewhileblack I had got pulled over for a out tail light. Before I knew it there were 6 county police cars and 2 sheriffs surrounding me
— ❌ (@ed_bRAYn) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/AdudeNameDarryl/status/540541101913161729
pulled over because my parent's us army veteran tags and bumper sticker seemed "suspicious." #alivewhileblack
— Narwhal Smith (@toophattoofly) December 4, 2014
Seeing the biggest and boldest person in your family demeanor change around police #alivewhileblack
— 0_0 (@mikeforalll) December 4, 2014
#alivewhileblack the cops followed me home & asked to see ID in front of my home bc black ppl can't possibly live in a big house
— awrealya, m.a. (@BlkMissFrizzle) December 4, 2014
1. My first time going to Wesley a cop pulled me and my man's over when we were on the bridge #AliveWhileBlack
— MadeToBeGreat (@Chessfinesse) December 4, 2014
2. He said we were pulled over because he had an emergency and we didn't get over but you can't switch lanes on the bridge #AliveWhileBlack
— MadeToBeGreat (@Chessfinesse) December 4, 2014
3. Then they kept asking if we had anything illegal in the car because he had no probable cause to search us #AliveWhileBlack
— MadeToBeGreat (@Chessfinesse) December 4, 2014
4. So because they were unsuccessful in getting us locked we got $300 in tickets instead smh #AliveWhileBlack
— MadeToBeGreat (@Chessfinesse) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/TaylorWalkerWay/status/540540696080683008
Considers getting concealed carry *thinks to himself* nope you don't need them problems in your life #alivewhileblack
— X (@BizzareNoir) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/grahambina/status/540540549124878336
Stopped by MBPD, held at gunpoint facedown cuffed in rain storm; asked repeatedly 'where's the purse!' #AliveWhileBlack
— tarell Alvin McCraney (@octarell) December 4, 2014
"You fit the description of a robbery suspect." I was 13, paying for gas in a store for my mom after leaving school. #AliveWhileBlack
— Jordan McClain (@MrJordanMcClain) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/Kad_Smith/status/540540192013029377
If you've not paid attention, peep these two hash tags for a very different look at being Americans:#CrimingWhileWhite #AliveWhileBlack
— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) December 4, 2014
https://twitter.com/jonathanprior/status/540540041978994688
Cops arrested my czn bc they thought he stole a bike (which ws his) took him dtown dnt realize his mom was a district judge #AliveWhileBlack
— Secret Treasure (@NtoriuslyNfamus) December 4, 2014
Check out Kovie’s article on #CrimingWhileWhite. If you’re White, like me, then you’ll likely recognize more than one story.