4 Black Teens Detained For Selling Water At National Mall Were Treated Like A 'Threat'

Four young black men were handcuffed by undercover police Thursday for selling water on the grounds of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Tim Krepp, a tour guide at the mall, told HuffPost he had just finished his shift when he saw the young men being detained by plainclothes park policemen.

Krepp, who has been a tour guide for nearly 11 years, said that he has seen young boys and girls selling water “all the time” but has never witnessed anyone be detained by police as a result. He said seeing the young men sitting handcuffed on the ground and being searched by the cops immediately struck him ― so he took pictures of the moment and shared them on Twitter.

Krepp’s tweet has since been retweeted more than 15,000 times, sparking widespread outrage over the officers’ actions.

“There’s no way you can avoid the obvious imagery of young black men being handcuffed and clearly being treated as a threat with white cops around,” Krepp told HuffPost.

“Images matter and symbols matter, especially at the National Mall when you’re here to see symbols and images to learn,” he added. “That’s why it’s here, this is a sacred space to talk about our national history and the cops should be aware of that.”

The tweet has even led D.C. Councilman Charles Allen to issue a letter to the U.S. Park Police chief denouncing the officers’ actions and calling out the racial double standard around this case.

“I can’t help but think how the reaction by these same officers might have varied if different children had set up a quaint hand-painted lemonade stand on the same spot,” Allen wrote. “While still the same violation of selling a beverage without proper permits and licenses, I doubt we would have seen little girls in pigtails handcuffed on the ground.”

Sgt. Anna Rose of the U.S. Park Police said in a statement Friday that “officers placed them in handcuffs for the safety of the officers and of the individuals,” according to NBC Washington.

The young men were reportedly given a verbal warning and eventually released, but Krepp believes this incident speaks to a broader issue around policing and black lives.

“We want quality, community policing ― we want it to work well and that wasn’t what I saw,” he said.

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Protesters gather in Freedom Plaza before a march to the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters gather in Freedom Plaza before a march to the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
A protester stands in Freedom Plaza before the march against police violence.
A protester stands in Freedom Plaza before the march against police violence.
Young protesters hold signs in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Young protesters hold signs in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
A protester in Freedom Plaza that Saturday.
A protester in Freedom Plaza that Saturday.
Protesters in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters gather in Freedom Plaza for the march to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Protesters gather in Freedom Plaza for the march to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Protesters in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol.
Protesters pose for a photo in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters pose for a photo in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol.
Protesters head toward the U.S. Capitol.
Protesters head toward the U.S. Capitol.
Protesters rally in the nation's capital on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters rally in the nation's capital on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters in Washington on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters in Washington on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters rally in Washington on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters rally in Washington on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters in Freedom Plaza on Dec, 13, 2014.
Protesters in Freedom Plaza on Dec, 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Georgetown Law students protest at Freedom Plaza that Saturday.
Georgetown Law students protest at Freedom Plaza that Saturday.
Protesters in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters gather in Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C.
Protesters gather in Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C.
Protesters gather in Freedom Plaza before marching to the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters gather in Freedom Plaza before marching to the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Al Sharpton speaks to protesters gathered in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Al Sharpton speaks to protesters gathered in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Samaria Rice, mother of Tamir Rice, speaks to people gathered in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Samaria Rice, mother of Tamir Rice, speaks to people gathered in Freedom Plaza on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol.
Protesters march toward the U.S. Capitol.
Filmmaker Spike Lee participates in a march on the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Filmmaker Spike Lee participates in a march on the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 13, 2014.
Protesters march down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.
Protesters march down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.