Dallas Police Ask People To Report Protesters, But Get Flooded With K-Pop Instead
Twitter users had a well-choreographed response when the Dallas Police Department asked the public to use its “snitching” app while anti-police brutality and Black Lives Matter protests erupted throughout the United States.
As people demonstrated in Dallas over the police killing of George Floyd, the department tweeted out a request for “video of illegal activity from the protests,” which could be downloaded to its iWatch app.
If you have video of illegal activity from the protests and are trying to share it with @DallasPD, you can download it to our iWatch Dallas app. You can remain anonymous. @ChiefHallDPD @CityOfDallas
— Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) May 31, 2020
In response, Twitter users provided very helpful photos and videos … of their favorite K-pop bands showing off dance moves so good, they should be illegal.
i have a video for you pic.twitter.com/UVLUY25y9K
— double gulp horchata (@dataorgxiii) May 31, 2020
here’s a video, i’ll dm you some more💕pic.twitter.com/VihMsrI81M
— sterre ✿ ᵇˡᵐ (@marvelous70s) May 31, 2020
PLEASE WATCH THIS ❗️❗️❗️ ILLEGAL ACTIVITY pic.twitter.com/yK6tAGDRSO
— 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢 ⁷♡ (@miniaturechim) May 31, 2020
Some users flipped the department’s request on its head and posted videos and photos of police brutality.
Others called on K-pop fans to flood the Dallas iWatch app with similar videos and photos.
kpop twitter: direct action tactics to keep the police from identifying protesters!
— lee hoseok knows acab 🐰 (@leehsk93) May 31, 2020
pigs are using this app to have people send in videos so they can identify those in protests. if we can swarm these pages, they won’t be able to find anything on anyone. how about we put our fancamming into good use and upload so many fancams it floods the app? pic.twitter.com/760nGHwmHZ
— lee hoseok knows acab 🐰 (@leehsk93) May 31, 2020
Not long after people on Twitter called on K-pop fans to spam the department’s app with some criminal body rolls, Dallas police tweeted that the app had crashed.
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Due to technical difficulties iWatch Dallas app will be down temporarily. pic.twitter.com/zksA1hkVhV
— Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) May 31, 2020
HuffPost tested the app on Monday morning. It was still down by mid-afternoon, but it was unclear whether the K-pop fans’ efforts are what caused the technical difficulties. The app only allows users to send a tip to police, not to view the tips others have sent.
A representative from the Dallas Police Department sent HuffPost a statement Monday evening saying its app is “restored” and that the cause of the crash “is still being determined.”
“We encourage the public to download it to report a crime or any suspicious activity,” the statement reads.
The department did not offer any further information.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.