Many in the Twitter community including Chicago-based STEM proponents are standing with Ahmed Mohamed, a high school freshman from a Dallas suburb arrested Monday for bringing a homemade digital clock to school.
#IStandWithAhmed at midday Wednesday is the No. 1 worldwide trending topic on Twitter, and a related account has amassed more than 19,000 followers and counting.
Even President Barack Obama weighed in with “Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House?”
Police in Irving, Texas, on Monday arrested Mohamed, 14, for bringing to school a clock that school officials reportedly saw as suspicious. Officials reported Mohamed to police, who removed him in handcuffs.
Individuals including local and national tech leaders, presidential candidates, technology brands and activists took to the social media platform early Wednesday to express their disgust at a reaction many saw as xenophobic and technophobic.
Hillary Clinton tweeted: “Assumptions and fear don’t keep us safe — they hold us back. Ahmed, stay curious and keep building.”
Tweeted Tock CTO Brian Fitzpatrick: “Arresting Ahmed Mohamed for bringing a homemade clock to school is the greatest attack on the STEM and Maker movement to date. Outraged.”
Police said Wednesday they would not press charges against Mohamed.
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