In a viral TikTok posted on Saturday, a Black TikToker says her white neighbors constantly watch her when she leaves the house. By Tuesday, the video had more than 167,000 views.
“Proof that they follow me,” TikTok user @dncbank says as she shows a white man and woman looking toward her as she sits in her vehicle. “Not even two minutes after I come outside and sit in my car.”
Being followed by white people is nothing new for the average Black person living in the U.S. A recent report by the State of Racial Profiling in American Retail noted that over 90% of Black shoppers reported being monitored while simply trying to shop.
This follows similar trends in other areas of life. When ABC News conducted a similar study of several years of data compiled from local police departments, they found that “Black drivers or pedestrians were more likely to be stopped by police than white drivers,” even when accounting for demographic disparities between neighborhoods.
In 2018, Vox summarized several reports of Black people in the U.S. who were seemingly trailed and persecuted for simply living their lives, ranging from a Harvard professor being accused of breaking into his own home to another who was questioned by police for napping on her college campus.
For @dncbank, the problem has so far only resulted in discomfort. However, that hasn’t stopped commenters from taking the issue more seriously.
“Girl keep your eye on them and stay safe,” one commenter advised. “At this point they are a threat.”
“Be brave and safe,” another added. “They are trying to make you uncomfortable.”
Others reported similar situations in their area.
“My neighbor does the same thing,” remarked one commenter. “An obsessed old [white] dude.”
“As soon as I wake up they suddenly do too,” detailed someone else. “Suddenly everyone wants to be in my space.”
Other commenters encouraged the TikToker to “ignore” the neighbors. “Be happy minding your business,” one person wrote. “It will make them SO mad.”
TikToker @dncbank did not immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s requests for comment via Instagram message and TikTok comment.
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