Last Updated on June 3, 2020
Video footage of a man calmly working on his tan and reading a book in the midst of a public park while a loud protest rages around him caused left-wing Twitter users to seethe and demand that he be doxxed and assaulted Wednesday.
In the video, protesters can be seen surrounding a shirtless man in a public park who is reading a book and sunning himself in front of signs containing the names of people that the protesters believe died because of racism.
The man is notably calm and unbothered, even as the crowd screams and claps their hands in an apparent effort to distract him.
A Black Lives Matter Twitter posted the video Tuesday with the caption, “A white man refusing to let us pay respect to George Floyd and continuing to read his book and tan in the middle of our demonstration is why we need change now.”
The reason why a person minding their own business and educating themselves via the written word is seen as an act of racism that requires “change now” was not specified in the tweet.
Several Black Lives Matter supporters fantasized about assaulting the man, and some demanded that he be doxxed by the Twitter mob, a common practice in left-wing circles.
https://twitter.com/shaniachristii/status/1267938450029895683
existing
— 𝖈𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖎 🎡 (@shaniachristii) June 3, 2020
https://twitter.com/piloncillo_/status/1267897112588619782
https://twitter.com/SAMBANKSFTW/status/1267896988990951425
One user, who claimed to be a leader of the protests, clarified that, “As one of the community leaders, I can attest for him and say that he was there two days in a row mourning his mother that passed. He is also mentally ill. We protested around him.”
As one of the community leaders, I can attest for him and say that he was there two days in a row mourning his mother that passed. He is also mentally ill. We protested around him.
— Chi Ossé for NYC Council (@osse2021) June 3, 2020
Other users showed support for the man, stating that there is nothing wrong with reading in a public park, and that public spaces do not exclusively belong to political activists.
Good on him. No one should be forced to respect anyone else's demonstration.
— BillBrown (@BillBrown2016) June 3, 2020
"White People and their…….(shakes Magic 8-Ball)……READING!!!"
— patriotsdotwin “Cyber-Criminal” (@Shifu_Snake) June 3, 2020
https://twitter.com/DinduJogger/status/1268218871040933899
Violence against innocent bystanders has been a recurring theme in the riots and protests sweeping across the United States.
