The NYPD Learned A Very Valuable Lesson About Asking The Internet To Use A Twitter Hashtag
A request for pictures of members of the New York Police Department went horribly wrong. WARNING: This post contains graphic photos of alleged police brutality.
Updated — 6:56 p.m. ET
Today the NYPD asked Twitter users to post cute personal photos with NYPD officers.
Do you have a photo w/ a member of the NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD. It may be featured on our Facebook.
NYPD NEWS@NYPDnewsFollow
Do you have a photo w/ a member of the NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD. It may be featured on our Facebook.
01:55 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
And for a while it worked pretty well.
@NYPDnews my photo from my ride along with the boys from the 90th pct #myNYPD
Lindsay Dixon@poshwonderwomanFollow
@NYPDnews my photo from my ride along with the boys from the 90th pct #myNYPD
02:34 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
People were sharing nice pictures of NYPD officers just hanging out.
@NYPDnews #myNYPD #MyBrother #YankeeStadium
JP Quinn@JPQ904Follow
@NYPDnews #myNYPD #MyBrother #YankeeStadium
01:59 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
And that was nice... for about an hour...
Making friends @NYPDnews #mynypd ❤️
Brianna Cashman@briannanic418Follow
Making friends @NYPDnews #mynypd â¤ï¸
02:57 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
Until people started filling the #MyNYPD hashtag with photos of alleged police brutality.
Here the #NYPD engages with its community members, changing hearts and minds one baton at a time. #myNYPD
Occupy Wall Street@OccupyWallStNYCFollow
Here the #NYPD engages with its community members, changing hearts and minds one baton at a time. #myNYPD
03:12 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
Every white shirt has to get in on the brutality, right @NYPDnews #myNYPD
[OAKLAND]ASM@OLAASMFollow
Every white shirt has to get in on the brutality, right @NYPDnews #myNYPD
03:13 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
And it doesn't appear to be slowing down.
@NYPDnews #myNYPD
Jeff Smith@Jeff5mithFollow
@NYPDnews #myNYPD
03:19 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
A lot of Twitter users started finding photos of police officers from any city and tagging them with #myNYPD.
#myNYPD
Rami@RamiSafadi93It turns out Twitter users had more than a few photos of NYPD officers looking less than friendly.
This should be featured on facebook RT @brotherguss #MyNYPD One of my favorites
Brett Banditelli@banditelliFollow
This should be featured on facebook RT @brotherguss #MyNYPD One of my favorites
03:42 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
"And we're going to have to run you over, just for good measure." #myNYPD
Casey Aldridge@CaseyJAldridgeFollow
"And we're going to have to run you over, just for good measure." #myNYPD
04:30 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
And then things got even worse when Occupy Wall Street's Twitter got involved.
Do you have a photo w/ a member of the #NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD. It may be featured on their Facebook!
Do you have a photo w/ a member of the #NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD. It may be featured on their Facebook!
03:09 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
@OccupyWallStNYC #myNYPD keeping me safe by tackling me to the ground, punching me & arresting me (1)
JnL Radikal Media@JNLRMFollow
@OccupyWallStNYC
#myNYPD keeping me safe by tackling me to the ground, punching me & arresting me (1)
03:53 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
Turns out not everyone is a huge fan of the NYPD.
NYPD crushing a black man's spine. He lost all sensation below his neck from this. #myNYPD
Scizyr Saj'Xanin@ScizyrFollow
NYPD crushing a black man's spine. He lost all sensation below his neck from this. #myNYPD
04:53 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
Yours truly. RT @NYPDnews: Do you have a photo w/ a member of the NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD.
Justin Wedes@justinwedesFollow
Yours truly. RT @NYPDnews: Do you have a photo w/ a member of the NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD.
05:00 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
So, the lesson here? Be careful what you ask for on the internet, I guess.
NO ONE MAKES ME BLEED MY OWN BLOOD. Well, except #myNYPD. They do that a lot.
â’¶ â€#GrumpyCuntSec â’¶@brazenqueerFollow
NO ONE MAKES ME BLEED MY OWN BLOOD. Well, except #myNYPD. They do that a lot.
06:01 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
An officer from Precinct 114 once ticketed me for doing this exact thing on the N train. #myNYPD
Daniel Stuckey@danstuckeyFollow
An officer from Precinct 114 once ticketed me for doing this exact thing on the N train. #myNYPD
05:21 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
The NYPD issued a statement about #myNYPD and said Twitter provides an "open forum."
NYPD issues a statement regarding #myNYPD initiative.
Pervaiz Shallwani@PervaizistanFollow
NYPD issues a statement regarding #myNYPD initiative.
06:27 PM - 22 Apr 14RetweetFavorite
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Ryan Broderick is a reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in London.
Contact Ryan Broderick at ryan@buzzfeed.com.
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