RaveVlog

A woman in Oakland, California, who called the police on two black men barbecuing along Lake Merritt and became the subject of a now-viral video is now proliferating social media as a meme.

The unidentified woman was recorded calling the Oakland Police Department on April 29. The woman alleged that the group of black family and friends were breaking the law by barbecuing with a charcoal grill. One of the men was accused of "trespassing" while the woman was on the phone with the police, Kenzie Smith told KRON-TV.

The woman hurled several racial epithets at the group and told them they'd soon be going to prison for their Sunday afternoon cookout, Newsweek earlier reported. In the video, the woman said her call had "nothing to do with their race."

The woman spoke with police, who arrived on scene to find both parties complaining of harassment. The officers wrote a report but issued no citations, made no arrests and allowed the barbecue to continue. In response, Oakland residents held a huge cookout on the same site on May 10.

The incident sparked backlash across the internet, including a tweet from musician/activist Questlove.

In the days following the viral video, social media featured a flurry of memes showcasing the woman from the Oakland incident calling the police on a number of events and black cultural institutions.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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