President Barack Obama, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg and many more rallied in support of 14 year old Ahmed Mohamed who was arrested Monday (September 14) after bringing a homemade clock to school, only for officials to assume it was a bomb.
Teachers at Irving Independent School District in Irving, Texas called police to the high school after Ahmed, who was wearing a NASA T-shirt at the time–brought in an electronic clock as an engineering project.
“I built a clock to impress my teacher but when I showed it to her, she thought it was a threat to her,” Ahmed told reporters Wednesday. “It was really sad that she took the wrong impression of it.”
Irving Police spokesman Officer James McLellan said he spoke with Ahmed to gain further details on the project only to learn it was indeed a clock. Chief Larry Boyd said Ahmed was cooperative and described how he made the clock and later determined Ahmed didn’t intend to alarm anyone.
Ahmed, who has dreams of attending MIT, received support from many on the Internet including POTUS.
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 (@POTUS) September 16, 2015
Mark Zuckerburg also extended an invite to the young engineer upon hearing of his arrest.
Having the skill and ambition to build something cool should lead to applause, not arrest. The future belongs to people like Ahmed. Ahmed, if you ever want to come by Facebook, I’d love to meet you. Keep building.
And while many rallied around the bright young mind, many on Twitter used the arrest to showcase America’s deep-rooted racial issues.
#IStandWithAhmed let’s not forget though that the teacher racially profiled this awesome kid. She needs to be punished!
— Mr. Porter/DEnAuN (@mRpOrTeR7) September 17, 2015
When you’re a white teenager who builds a clock vs a Black Muslim teenager who builds a clock. #IStandWithAhmed pic.twitter.com/lKoDXZpoB7
— zellie (@zellieimani) September 17, 2015
Muslim does NOT = terrorist #IStandWithAhmed
— ?? ?. (@childshgambryno) September 17, 2015
Ahmed made a clock And he’s a terrorist dylan roof killed nine people But its ok hes mentally ill #IStandWithAhmed pic.twitter.com/6e0KOq20pn
— WORLD STAR™ (@WorIdStarLaugh) September 17, 2015
Despite the turbulent week, Ahmed said he’s going to take the President up on his offer then transfer schools.