A video showing a White woman getting out of a traffic ticket after outrunning a cop in a foot race has sparked an intense debate on social media over her privilege.
TikTok user, @tanasmith21, has over 73K followers, and her controversial video was viewed over 12.8 million times and liked over 1.3 million times.
The beginning of the video showed Smith preparing to dash for the proposed challenge and clarifying with the officer standing behind her when to start running.
Then, the officer counted down, "3, 2, 1, go," to signal for her to try and outrun the cop.
Because it appeared Smith was given a head start, it was likely the officer never intended to give her a ticket in the first place.
The video's caption read:
"He said if I could outrun him, he wouldn't give me a speeding ticket."
@tanasmith21 He said if I could outrun him he wouldn’t give me a speeding ticket #rue21BeYouChallenge #TeamofTomorrow #cops #police #race #bet #challenge#felony
The widening gap between the officer and her indicated he was letting Smith win.
The video ended with the overlaying text and voiceover saying:
"He cheated."
And the outcome was, "No ticket for Tana."
Reactions to the video were mixed, with some calling out Smith for her White privilege.
@tanasmith21/TikTok
@tanasmith21/TikTok
@tanasmith21/TikTok
Some expressed having no issues with the video...
@tanasmith21/TikTok
@tanasmith21/TikTok
...While others slammed the comments that downplayed the incident.
@tanasmith21/TikTok
@tanasmith21/TikTok
People pointed out how an opportunity from police is never extended to people of color.
@tanasmith21/TikTok
@tanasmith21/TikTok
TikTokers outraged over the clip brought up 28-year-old Sandra Bland—who took her own life in jail after being arrested during a pretextual traffic stop; and Tamir Rice—the 12-year-old boy who was carrying a toy gun and was fatally shot by police.
Both victims were Black.
@tanasmith21/TikTok
@tanasmith21/TikTok
@tanasmith21/TikTok
@tanasmith21/TikTok
TikToker @ryryalt drove the point home with his viral response to Smith's video.
"I wish Sandra Bland was given the opportunity to race her murderer," he said, adding, " I wish Tamir Rice was given the opportunity to race his murderer."
He continued with his impassioned argument about how Smith's video is undeniably about race.
"To all the white people, and all the Latinos, in the comments section, going 'Why does race have to be brought into everything?' You know why race is being brought into this."
"That this white girl gets to run, to see if she gets a ticket, and yet Black parents have to teach their children to keep their hands on the [steering] wheel and 'You need to be afraid for your life'?"
"We all know I'm done with playing these games."
He added:
"If you left those messages, you're a racist, period, point-blank; we're done having this conversation."
@ryryalt #stitch with @tanasmith21 #dobetter
Black commenters confirmed their reality to back his statement.
@ryryalt/TikTok
@ryryalt/TikTok
@ryryalt/TikTok
@ryryalt/TikTok
The Daily Dot reached out to both @ryralt and @tanasmith21 for further comments and has not yet heard responses.
