Editors Note: The following is a story by Leroy about his experience with profiling by po'lice while riding his adult tricycle in Berkeley as a visibly disabled Black man. Leroy's story is just one example of many thousands of examples of profiling by Po'Lice officers in cities across Amerikkka. Many of us peoples of color and poor peoples in the US face these acts of harassment by po'lice for the sole act of walking, bike, adult tricycle-riding, shopping, driving or residing while Black, Brown, Poor or Disabled...
On April 3rd 2011 around 2pm Leroy Moore was on his adult three-wheel tricycle coming down University Ave. in Berkeley CA at the corner of University Ave and MLK on the sidewalk.
A Berkeley police officer approached him and said "get off the bike!" and Leroy said "why" after the officer repeated himself three times.
Then the officer asked, “Do you know why you have been stopped?” Leroy said, "because I’m Black?!"
Then the officer tried to pull Leroy off the adult tricycle. Leroy got off and walked the adult tricycle around the corner where he saw another Black man against the wall with his bike.
The officer’s partner, an Asian woman officer, took Leroy’s i.d. to run it while the White cop was finishing with the other guy. The officer, wanted the other profiled Black man to sign a paper i.e. an citation but he refused. The White cop said sign it or I have to book you for riding on the sidewalk.
He signed it and left. The White cop turned to Leroy and asked, “you said no while you were on your bike! Leroy said “no I said why!” The officer said, “why is no!” Then Leroy said, “why is why!”
The officer asked, “where do you live and do you live alone?” The officer asked that question like five times. Leroy said his address and said he lives alone. The officer asked, “you know there is no riding on the sidewalk and a lot of people are reporting that they have been hit by bikes on the sidewalk.” Leroy didn’t say anything.
The officer looked at Leroy's three-wheel adult tricycle and said “usually people ride in the street. Next time take the back streets, stay off the main streets.”
The Asian police officer appeared with Leroy's id gave it back and they let Leroy go on his way with a warning..