The Tennessee Highway Patrol recently addressed a social media claim regarding one of its troopers allegedly hitting a person with a cruiser on a Memphis street, stating that the assertion was “false.”
To back up their statement, the agency shared dashcam footage of the event.
In the video, timestamped shortly after 5 p.m. on Sunday, a man wearing an orange vest and apparently holding a walkie-talkie exits an SUV parked at an angle on the street. He approaches a state police vehicle while anti-ICE protesters are visible in the background.
The man raises his arm to signal the officer to stop, acting as though he has authority to do so.
Interestingly, he also shakes his finger in a “no” gesture, seemingly instructing the officer even though the cruiser has its lights flashing.
Understandably, the officer inside the cruiser was frustrated and shouted at the man to move out of the way. His commands included “Go! Get out! Come here!” But the man, rather than complying, clung to the front of the cruiser and then dropped down underneath it.
Following that, he stood, waved his finger once more, and returned to the SUV.
The video clearly shows this series of events, with THP stating that the individual involved was not harmed or hit by the vehicle as was suggested online.
The incident took place during an “ICE Out for Good” protest organized by Indivisible Memphis, in response to recent events including the shooting death of Renee Good in Minneapolis.
Inquiries about the man’s identity were made, noting that the license plate on the SUV appears to be from Tennessee and is clearly visible in the video, but there was no immediate response from THP.
The conversation on THP’s Facebook post has been lively, with around 1,300 comments reflecting varied opinions. For instance, users expressed disbelief at the man’s audacity, with one commenting, “What a clown!” while another questioned why he wasn’t arrested for blocking the roadway.
- One user remarked sarcastically, “Imagine you have the power to tell a police officer to stop.”
- Another quipped, “Make batons great again.”
- Concerns were also raised about obstruction impacting emergency services, with a user pleading for protesters to avoid blocking traffic.
