A video of a man harassing a Puerto Rican woman at an Illinois park has recently stirred up a firestorm on Twitter.
The man repeatedly approached Mia Irizarry, who was wearing a Puerto Rican flag shirt, last month telling her “You should not be wearing that in the United States of America” and asking, “Are you a United States citizen?” She took a video of the incident on Facebook Live, which also showed a park police officer walking away after she told him she felt uncomfortable.
A man harassed a woman wearing a Puerto Rico shirt because she ‘should not be wearing that in the United States of America’ (Puerto Rico is part of the United States of America) pic.twitter.com/4A4DMqeUZq
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) July 9, 2018
The officer seen in the video, from the Forest Preserves of Cook County, has been assigned to desk duty while an investigation into “personnel policies” is conducted. The Forest Preserves of Cook County also arrested the individual who harassed the woman, charging him with assault and disorderly conduct.
“All people are welcome in the Forest Preserves of Cook County and no one should feel unsafe while visiting our preserves,” they tweeted Monday.
Responding to viral video, New York Times bestselling author Kurt Eichenwald tied the incident to the political climate in America under President Trump. “Further proof that MAGA fans are both stupid and racist. This one doesnt know that people born in Puerto Rico are American citizens, and that it is a territory of the United States,” he tweeted.
Further proof that MAGA fans are both stupid and racist. This one doesnt know that people born in Puerto Rico are American citizens, and that it is a territory of the United States. https://t.co/ctMRU1Nbl5
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) July 10, 2018
Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund, criticized the unresponsiveness of the police officer. “Alternative headline: ‘Police officer refuses to intercede while angry racist menaces woman for wearing a Puerto Rico shirt in America,'” she said.
Alternative headline: “Police officer refuses to intercede while angry racist menaces woman for wearing a Puerto Rico shirt in America.” https://t.co/W7pEXzjxrq
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) July 10, 2018
Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the U.S. with its own constitution, and Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917. They can vote that its people in presidential primaries but not in presidential general elections.
