President Barack Obama stands with Ahmed.
In a tweet posted to the official @POTUS Twitter account, Obama weighed in on Tuesday’s arrest of Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old boy who brought a homemade clock to his Irving High School in northern Texas only to be accused by police of creating a “hoax bomb.”
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 (@POTUS44) September 16, 2015
A White House spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Dot that Mohamed has officially been invited to visit 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Mohamed, who is reportedly an avid inventor and tinkerer, made the clock using a circuit board and power supply wired to a digital display.
Mohamed’s arrest sparked global outrage online, especially among makers and hackers, who expressed admiration of Mohamed’s pastime and condemned what they saw as racial profiling.
#IStandWithAhmed trended worldwide on Twitter and Facebook on Wednesday as messages of support came in from around the world, particularly from members of the science and tech communities.
Obama’s invite is far from the only one Mohamed received in the hours following his arrest. Astronaut Chris Hadfield is among those who wants to publicly connect with the teen.
Hi @IStandWithAhmed ! I’d love you to join us for our science show Generator in Toronto on 28 Oct. There’s a ticket waiting for you.
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) September 16, 2015
Screenshot via Dallas Morning News/YouTube
