What was intended as a feel-good public relations move by the New York Police Department has turned into an outpouring of very real–and very hilarious–community anger about police brutality.
On Twitter, an NYPD representative asked New Yorkers to post pictures of positive interactions with cops using the hashtag “MyNYPD.”
Do you have a photo w/ a member of the NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD. It may be featured on our Facebook. pic.twitter.com/mE2c3oSmm6
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) April 22, 2014
Many, many people complied, but their pictures painted an incredibly bleak portrait of citizen-police relations in New York City.
Here the #NYPD engages with its community members, changing hearts and minds one baton at a time. #myNYPDpic.twitter.com/GErbiFFDvY — Occupy Wall Street (@OccupyWallStNYC) April 22, 2014
“And we’re going to have to run you over, just for good measure.” #myNYPD pic.twitter.com/q6JMNAajxb — Casey Aldridge (@CaseyJAldridge) April 22, 2014
NYPD crushing a black man’s spine. He lost all sensation below his neck from this. #myNYPD pic.twitter.com/lhPgo7UNSA
— Scizyr Saj’Xanin (@Scizyr) April 22, 2014
The PR disaster has been picked by several media outlets, and the tweets keep coming.
In a statement, the NYPD maintained that Twitter provides an “uncensored exchange” and beneficial open forum for discussion.