In a viral TikTok video, user @shaberrry says she got a speeding ticket in Fulshear, Texas, a town that is 75% white. However, while at court, she says the waiting room was primarily filled with people of color.
“Got a speeding ticket in a town that’s 75% (white) but the court is full of POC??” the text overlay reads as the TikToker pans the camera through the court’s waiting room.
According to Data USA, about 75% of Fulshear’s population is white, including both Hispanic and non-Hispanic white people. As a city in Fort Bend County, the Fulshear Police Department is also affiliated with the county’s police department, which has previously received allegations of racial profiling. In 2020, the Houston Chronicle published a report on Fort Bend County’s Narcotics Division and its high rates of officers pulling over Latinx people for searches.
The video, shared April 4, received over 1.2 million views and sparked debate about racial profiling in the comments section.
Many users were not surprised with the racial demographics of Fulshear’s court.
“Sounds about Texas,” one user said.
“We all know why. Even the ones that are gonna come make excuses know why,” another said.
“Deadass. i live here and i got pulled over and i just knew the vibes lol,” a third user said.
However, several users were adamant that racial profiling was not the reasoning behind the court’s racial makeup.
“Idk. Ask them ... they broke the rules,” one user said.
“I don’t know they’re breaking the law,” another said.
The Daily Dot reached out to user @shaberrry via TikTok comment and the city of Fulshear via email.
