BIGOTRY: Cops called on Black man clearing public sidewalk
A white Illinois woman called the cops on two Black men who shoveled the snow on the sidewalk in front of her home in what most would neighbors would consider a good deed.
In this incident, that wasn’t the case as the men were rewarded for being good neighbors by being reported to law enforcement.
A video of the incident went viral – getting over 1 million views – after one of the men involved, Gregory McAdory, uploaded it to TikTok more than a week ago.
Watch the videos below.
“You seriously mad because we cleaned off your sidewalk?” McAdory asks the woman.
“Don’t trespass that line!” she said. “I don’t need anything from you.”
According to McAdory, owns a snow removal business and had finished cleaning his friend and business partner’s father’s walkway before moving on the clear the sidewalk in front of the older woman’s home.
“I’ve seen it all now, she’s so mad she’s putting snow back on the public sidewalk,” left-wing influencer @Imposter_edits tweeted.
I've seen it all now, she's so mad she's putting snow back on the public sidewalk
"Yes, I have an emergency! African Americans are shoveling snow off my sidewalk!" pic.twitter.com/pFYqscazX3
— 🥀_ Imposter_🥀 (@Imposter_Edits) February 19, 2023
Known only as “Brunny”, the neighbor was unmoved when the men tried to explain they were just trying to help, The Daily Beast reported.
Speaking with an accent, “That’s trespassing property,” she replied, before calling the cops at the Rockford Police Department.
“I have an emergency. These two guys are African-American, and I don’t get along with them. … They are making fun of me. See, they don’t have no respect!”
https://www.tiktok.com/@gregorymcadory/video/7201279219135941931
When officers arrived at the scene, the men were told not to shovel the neighbor’s snow and to “stay off her property,” after talking to both parties.
The incident lasted less than 20 minutes, according to the call log.
McAdory told The Daily Beast that Brunny has been a neighbor of his friend’s family for roughly 15 years, but wouldn’t say outright if he thought the incident was racially motivated.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with her. I don’t know if it’s racism,” he said. “I just didn’t want to be arrested for something as minor as that.”
TikTok users weren’t so gracious.
As reports of an increase in police violence dominate the headlines, the public has seen seemingly simple law enforcement interactions end in tragedy far too many times.
“Not gone lie, granny would have got some charges,” one TikTok user wrote. “She won’t change until something makes her change.”
One of the officers suggested the woman may be struggling with mental health issues, though that in and of itself does not excuse putting longtime neighbors in a potentially deadly situation over shoveled snow.
https://www.tiktok.com/@gregorymcadory/video/7201797135946288426
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Brunny has made threats to the snow-shoveling duo, McAdory recalls. The last time the pair shoveled the sidewalk, the woman threatened to call the police after they touched her lawn – prompting the men to take caution this time around and stick to the sidewalk, which is a public space.
The police didn’t file a formal report of the incident, instead telling the men to keep their distance from the neighbor’s property.
Good advice, considering Brunny’s propensity to dial 911. Thankfully the two men were unharmed during their interaction with Rockford PD.
“When the police is called on people of my color, just to be on the safe side, I just say, ‘Record,'” McAdory said.
“The life of being Black,” the man who filmed the videos said.
Original reporting by Brook Leigh Howard at The Daily Beast. and by The Daily Dot.
Follow Ty Ross on Twitter @cooltxchick
