A man in San Francisco calls the police on an innocent black man who is waiting on a friend (images via screen capture)
This story, currently trending on Twitter, is yet another reminder of how even so-called ‘liberal’ cities like San Francisco can harbor haters.
Wesly Michel, a 35-year-old software engineer, was waiting for a friend at their apartment building in San Francisco on July 4, when he encountered a racist who decided he needed to call the police because Michel was, basically, ‘waiting while black.’
Sadly, the son of the racist was with him at the time, and the boy begged his father not to call the police.
“Daddy, look what you’ve gotten us into. Let’s go!”
“Unfortunately, this incident mirrors the experience that African Americans endure daily where we are questioned on whether we belong,” Michel told CNN. “I videotaped this incident to protect myself and to support my story should police get involved.”
During the three-and-a-half-minute recording, which was posted to Michel’s Facebook page, the boy can be heard pleading with his father not to call the cops on Michel.
According to CNN, the video begins as the man demands Michel to identify the resident he is there to see, and to “please call your friend on the call box and have them come down and get you.”
“They don’t have to do that; you can just walk away,” Michel responds.
As the man tells Michel he’s going to phone the authorities, his young son cries,”Daddy don’t!”
Michel calmly reminds the man that he is being recorded.
“You’re just gonna be the next person on TV, just remember that, and you have your son with you,” Michel informs the man.
The man tells the police that Michel is a “trespasser” who “appears to be African-American” who had “tailgated” into the building.
As the man continues his call, his son begins gets visibly upset, begging his father to leave and to stop the call.
“Dad, don’t; please go,” says the boy. “Daddy go, it’s better; I agree with him, daddy.”
The boy soon begins to cry, imploring his father to leave. “Daddy, I don’t like this – let’s go.”
“Listen to your son, walk away,” Michel says in a calm voice. “I will stop the recording.”
Michel’s friend arrives (as the video is still recording) but there’s no apology from the racist man.
As the father smirks, his young son continues to plead with his father. “Told you – let’s go now,” says the young boy. “Daddy, look what you’ve gotten us into. Let’s go!”
The police do not come to the scene. The racist asks Michel to stop recording, but he continues.
“Now you’re online forever,” says Michel.
Watching the video, you have to wonder: if you truly think a man is trespassing and is a clear and present danger, why would you continue to stand within two feet of him with your VERY young son next to you?
Reading the comments on Michel’s Facebook page, the vast majority note that the son demonstrated the good sense that the father did not possess. Many also pointed out how traumatized the child was, but the man wouldn’t relent, even for his child.
Internet sleuths, including the folks at Essence, believe the man to be someone named Christopher Cukor. Several posters found his Linkedin profile as well as his Facebook page before the profile photo was changed.
(screen capture)
At this writing #ChristopherCukor is trending on Twitter.
There is an interesting twist to the story.
IF the man is someone named Christopher Cukor, several people found an SF Gate news item from 2012 of a man named Peter Cukor, in the same area, who was killed by a black man after calling the police about a “strange man” on his property.
Peter Cukor had a son named Christopher Cukor, who would be about 44-years-old today.
That Christopher Cukor blamed the police for not responding to his father’s call and eventually sued the police department.
It appears from the police transcript of the call that the elder didn’t communicate imminent danger. But when the black man returned, Cukor’s wife called saying her husband was being attacked, and the police responded.
According to the SF Gate report, the suspect was found mentally incompetent to stand trial. He mentioned to police he was looking for his fiancée Zoey, but the man’s father told police his son didn’t have a fiancée and Zoey was a figment of his imagination.
The attacker’s family told authorities he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia five years earlier and they had asked authorities to remove him from the streets while he was treated, reports SF Gate.
That is a sad story. But, I don’t believe that justifies living the rest of your life assuming all black men pose violent danger to you.
