Scientists and engineers of color using #IStandWithAhmed to show solidarity with #AhmedMohamed http://t.co/wOVeGYwEr5 pic.twitter.com/wcFz9zRNkw
— Fusion (@ThisIsFusion) September 16, 2015
No charges will be brought against 14-year-old Ahmed Mohamed, who was arrested in Irving, Texas on Monday for showing his English teacher a clock he’d built at home.
This morning, Chief of Police Larry Boyd said that Ahmed was arrested and detained in juvie “for his safety and for the safety of the officers,” and that the event escalated due to the “the matter of safety and in the abundance of caution under the circumstances,” whatever that means. It won’t surprise you that Irving, Texas has a history of racial profiling, and, incidentally, a pretty sweet clock tower.
Several scientific organizations and members of the tech community have come out in support of Ahmed.
Earlier today, President Obama invited him to the White House:
Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It’s what makes America great.
— President Obama (@POTUS) September 16, 2015
Mohamed’s sisters set up the twitter handle @IStandWithAhmed to encourage the high schooler to keep being awesome and building stuff.
