“I Don’t Feel Safe”: Black Memphis Residents Report Harassment by Trump’s Police Task ForceWhen the Memphis police returned Williams’ wallet, the officer cautioned him: Don’t do anything bad and keep your ID on you. That warning, said Williams, who posted about the stop on Facebook, echoes a slavery-era requirement that free African Americans carry “freedom papers,” official court documents to prove they weren’t enslaved lest they be returned to bondage by slave patrols or law enforcement.
The U.S. Marshals Service, which leads the task force, did not respond to specific questions about Williams’ experience but disputed accounts of Black residents being harassed.
“The suggestion that our federal law enforcement officers are racially profiling citizens is not founded in reality and undermines the credibility and safety of the Task Force Officers who should be commended for the exceptional work they are doing to keep this community safe!” Ryan Guay, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service, said in a written statement.
There are people that wanted this to happen, and it’s important to remember that. Despite popular admonitions about finding common ground, there is no common ground now.