Wrong Man Accused For Accosting a Group of People
| Wrong Man Accused For Accosting a Group of People | |
|---|---|
| Short Title | Wrong Man Accused For Accosting a Group of People Putting Up Activist Flyers |
| Location | United States |
| Date | June 2020 |
| Solove Harm | Distortion, Increased Accessibility |
| Information | Behavioral, Identifying, Criminal, Public Life |
| Threat Actors | Twitter, Unknown Twitter users |
| Individuals | |
| Affected | False accused suspect |
| High Risk Groups | |
| Tangible Harms | Anxiety |
A wrong man was accused by the public after a viral video of a passerby confronting a group of young people putting up flyers about the death of George Floyd.
Description
In June 2020 George Floyd's death has raised a wave of protests and activism against systemic racism against black people. He died in Minneapolis after a white police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee for almost nine minutes.
A group of young people was confronted by a passerby while they were putting up flyers about the death of George Floyd. A video posted on social media shows a male bicyclist accosting a young woman while another young woman screams at him to “get off of her.” The man then grabs his bike and rushes toward the young man who is filming.
The video has gone viral on social media, garnering more 27 million views (as of June 5,2020). Multiple national media outlets have picked up the story, and various theories were floated as to who the bicyclist is.Increased Accessibility
Speculation first circulated on Twitter that the bicyclist was a Bethesda resident and head of an investment firm. This is an example if Distortion. This man also got many angry direct messages over social media, threatening him and accusing him of being racist and assaulting a child. It appeared that his selfie on a bike in a helmet and with sunglasses resembled an image of the person, who later was discovered to be guilty in the incident.
The other man turned himself in and he later apologized in a statement. He was charged with three counts of second-degree assault. The Bethesda resident was later excluded as a suspect.
Laws and Regulations
Sources
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/police-fire/kensington-man-charged-with-assaulting-group-on-capital-crescent-trail-as-seen-in-video/
https://twitter.com/pweinberg/status/1268906611499839488
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/06/what-its-like-to-get-doxed-for-taking-a-bike-ride.html