Dominicans in Harlem NY’s Dyckman area are being called out by some on Twitter for practicing “self hate” after members of the community staged anti-looters protests and harassed a group of Black people.
On Tuesday, videos surfaced on Twitter that showed a group from the predominantly Dominican neighborhood of Dyckman marching down the street holding signs and chanting against looters.
Their anti looters stance came after a violent weekend of bloody riots that often ended with looters breaking into unsuspecting businesses and stealing whatever they could get their hands on.
However, while one video showed the Dyckman community protesting against looters, another video appeared to show a group of Dominicans profiling a group of Black people and chasing them out of their neighborhood with bats in hand.
While it’s not known how the encounters ended, many on social media have started calling out the Dominican community for what they feel is a form of self hate.
The Dominican Republic neighbors Haiti, the Caribbean country that was the first to be granted their independence from slavery and European rule. Despite the rich history of Black liberation in the country, racial tensions have always been high between the two neighboring countries.
Dominicans, in particular, have been known to embrace their ties to Spain and Europe while often shunning their very distinct ties to Africa and African culture.
Amid the current nationwide protests against police brutality and racial inequality against Black people, the conversation around Afro Latina pride has been raised.
While some on Twitter attempted to defend the Dyckman community for standing together to prevent looting, others feel the stance reflects far more than just that.
Take a look at some of the responses below.
