For any black person in the United States, an encounter with the police can be a nerve-wracking experience. New York Times bestselling author Tomi Adeyemi felt the truth of this sentiment when four white police officers showed up at her house.
The 25-year-old author of the novel Children of Blood and Bone took to Twitter to detail what happened when police showed up at her home asking to speak with someone inside on Thursday, July 12. She followed their request by asking if they had a warrant they issued threats of them coming back and ripping her door off the hinges.
4 officers just showed up on my doorstep.
they showed their badges and asked to speak to someone inside my house.
i instantly saw their guns.
when i asked if they had a warrant, an officer threatened to come back with a warrant and rip my door off its hinges.
(1/?)
— Tomi Adeyemi (@tomi_adeyemi) July 12, 2018
Following the realization that officers just wanted to speak with someone about a possible contact for an investigation, Adeyemi asked why the officer threatened her. Instead of apologizing, the officer said he didn't attempt to intimidate her. She began recording the encounter.
when it was revealed that all they wanted was to see if someone inside had a phone contact that would help them with an investigation, I asked why the officer threatened a search warrant at all or to rip my door off its hinges.
the officer denied making either threat (2/?)
— Tomi Adeyemi (@tomi_adeyemi) July 12, 2018
(and, yes—i have a video recording of him making both threats.)
when i tried to explain why four white men with badges and guns showing up on a black woman’s doorstep in 2018 was cause for extreme alarm, they said:
“this isn’t about race”
“I don’t see color”
(3/?)
— Tomi Adeyemi (@tomi_adeyemi) July 12, 2018
“I’m colorblind”
at this point i had to take a moment to myself.
i sat on my floor and cried.
but i was hoping—HOPING—this could be a teachable moment for them.
(4/?)
— Tomi Adeyemi (@tomi_adeyemi) July 12, 2018
While Adeyemi tried to get the officers to understand her point of view, the officer who threatened her instead offered his ideology as a rebuttal.
so at the end of this encounter i pulled myself together and tried to explain AGAIN how every day for the past two years I’ve seen pictures and videos of white men with badges like theirs and guns like theirs murder and assault innocent black people.
(5/?)
— Tomi Adeyemi (@tomi_adeyemi) July 12, 2018
i tried to explain how understanding that viewpoint would help them positively interact with black people in the future.
the officer who threatened to rip my door off its hinges and then denied making this threat interrupted me to say the following:
(6/?)
— Tomi Adeyemi (@tomi_adeyemi) July 12, 2018
“I wish the public would stop focusing on the negative. It’s such a small percentage of the police force. I get discriminated against all the time.”
then the fucker made a joke.
laughed.
and walked away.
(7/?)
— Tomi Adeyemi (@tomi_adeyemi) July 12, 2018
and just to be clear, i am okay. i am sharing this because writing is how I process and get through trauma.
i am not going to let that bastard ruin my day or my weekend or my life.
but THIS is what is happening every single day.
to men.
women.
CHILDREN.#ThisIsAmerica
— Tomi Adeyemi (@tomi_adeyemi) July 12, 2018
Adeyemi reassured us that she's all good, but, as one can imagine, the experience is likely to have a lasting effect. Unfortunately, this is America, and her story is one of many.
Now, check these out:
D.L. Hughley Reveals Police Stopped Him, Called Him A 'N****r' At 8 Years Old
