A new video circulating on social media is stirring controversy over police conduct in Washington, D.C., after showing a group of Metropolitan Police officers physically detaining a man who bystanders claim was simply recording them. The one-minute clip, posted by a user going by The Black Tucker Carlson Jr, is labeled “Day 3: DC police are the new gang in town, I can’t wait for day 30,” and features multiple officers surrounding and wrestling a man to the ground. Overlaid text on the video reads, “This is how the police in DC treat ppl just for recording.”
The footage begins with officers walking in formation along a city sidewalk, followed closely by several civilians filming on their phones. Moments later, chaos erupts as officers swarm a man near the curb, grabbing his arms and pulling him toward the ground. More officers join in, pinning him near a wall and forcibly restraining him.
The man’s phone appears to remain in his hand for part of the encounter, and at one point, officers are seen bending down and retrieving something from beneath his leg. The video ends with the man surrounded by at least eight officers.
Social media users were quick to weigh in, with opinions sharply divided. “They did all that because he was recording?” one person asked, while another called the officers “THUGS.” Others questioned whether filming police should even be considered grounds for detainment. “Is filming and yelling at cops illegal now?” one user asked, with another responding, “Only in a police state.”
Some defended the officers’ actions. “Obey the law and don’t harass the cops. How is it that hard?” one commenter wrote. Another said, “Stop defending criminals activity,” while one person noted, “Looks good to me.”
DC Policing Power Struggle Heats Up
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump declared a public-safety emergency in Washington, D.C., announcing plans to deploy National Guard troops across the city and seek “long-term” federal control over the Metropolitan Police Department. Under the move, the Guard would be stationed on city streets while the MPD operates under federally directed authority.
As it stands, Trump’s asserted control over D.C. police is time-limited to 30 days, any extension beyond that window would require Congressional action. “We’re going to be asking for extensions on that — long-term extensions, because you can’t have 30 days,” Trump said at an event at the Kennedy Center, per ABC. The announcement has pushed D.C. policing into the national spotlight, intensifying debates over home rule, civil liberties, and who ultimately calls the shots when public order is at issue.
As of now, the Metropolitan Police Department has not released an official statement addressing the incident or clarifying whether the man was charged. The video continues to gain traction online, fueling debate over police accountability, the right to record public officials, and the level of force used in such encounters.
