The New York Police Department was hoping to address its PR problem, not a brutality problem. The #MyNYPD hashtag was set up so that citizens could submit photos of themselves with New York police officers, like this:
Do you have a photo w/ a member of the NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD. It may be featured on our Facebook. pic.twitter.com/mE2c3oSmm6
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) April 22, 2014
@NYPDnews me enjoying Times Square, March 2013. Nice friendly Officers. #myNYPD pic.twitter.com/1UN9fV3KhO
— Lyndsay Simpson (@simpson_lyndsay) April 22, 2014
However, as Aljazeera reports, it wasn’t long before the hashtag had been hijacked, particularly by members of the Occupy movement who wanted to show their NYPD in action.
Do you have a photo w/ a member of the #NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD. It may be featured on their Facebook! pic.twitter.com/Ps7rThxgNw
— #GeneralStrike2020 will #OccupyWallStreet (@OccupyWallStNYC) April 22, 2014
Free Massages from the #NYPD. What does YOUR Police Department offer? Tweet at #MyNYPD pic.twitter.com/IFWr8exuqH
— #GeneralStrike2020 will #OccupyWallStreet (@OccupyWallStNYC) April 22, 2014
https://twitter.com/PoliticalVodka/status/458778580730667008
https://twitter.com/WillRollerson/status/458778495565328384
Blue Klux Klan #myNYPD pic.twitter.com/6TUiNB2865
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) April 22, 2014
#NYPD Keeping the Streets Safe. Show some love, and send your pics with #MyNYPD hashtags! pic.twitter.com/Sk31xWjQMp
— Tech Brat (@shushugah) April 22, 2014
"So, when a girl swipes you in, you get jumped by 5 cops & cuffed. at 14th St/8th ave station" pic.twitter.com/2aqcYWZlM1 #myNYPD
— Copwatch (@Copwatch) April 22, 2014
Recommended
Best part of #myNYPD = pics of dogs being frisked pic.twitter.com/vHfmQHIHds
— Elif Batuman (@BananaKarenina) April 23, 2014
https://twitter.com/R0NS0L02/status/458777606964277249
Need a lift? The #NYPD's got you! Free Delivery, Only at #myNYPD pic.twitter.com/AStS3ZjoZu
— #GeneralStrike2020 will #OccupyWallStreet (@OccupyWallStNYC) April 22, 2014
.@NYPDnews got a great pic! #MyNYPD pic.twitter.com/EK8tL55TgV
— blue lives splatter (@pizzapartybert) April 22, 2014
Here the #NYPD engages with its community members, changing hearts and minds one baton at a time. #myNYPD pic.twitter.com/GErbiFFDvY
— #GeneralStrike2020 will #OccupyWallStreet (@OccupyWallStNYC) April 22, 2014
@NYPDnews #myNYPD pic.twitter.com/aA7aQD1wYT
— Jeff Smith (@dontbeaputz) April 22, 2014
#myNYPD pic.twitter.com/xlWkhrHZ9k
— Rami (@RamiSafadi93) April 22, 2014
Need a facelift? #myNYPD has you covered!! pic.twitter.com/MDaokn8jVZ
— అనిల్ (@anihi1ism) April 22, 2014
#Merica NYPD crushing a man's neck for waving an American flag in a "non-flag waving area." #myNYPD http://t.co/0FPrUIJD9L
— Duke E. Brown ?? (@ShamuriJack) April 23, 2014
https://twitter.com/KevinCarson1/status/458781892662157312
Police are mandated to arrest as many as they can:to strip gun rights & force people to be Gov dependents pic.twitter.com/Yb2hdTuKgx #myNYPD
— TKrypt (@TKrypt) April 23, 2014
https://twitter.com/R0NS0L02/status/458779908169142272
Plenty of #myNYPD action in 99% – The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film. Watch at http://t.co/8IY3berp5I pic.twitter.com/4my3Duy21D
— 99% -The Occupy Film (@99_film) April 23, 2014
https://twitter.com/R0NS0L02/status/458778590469844992
Be safe out there. #myNYPD http://t.co/OV1iKZ0GSM pic.twitter.com/Ziw1ScK11b
— Onion Labs (@OnionLabs) April 22, 2014
Aaaand now #myNYPD is trending country-wide.
— Nathan Grant (@NathanBGrant) April 22, 2014
"Let's do a Twitter hashtag." "Good idea, boss." "Who uses Twitter?" "Who cares, let's do it." #myNYPD
— Molly Knefel (@mollyknefel) April 22, 2014
While the PR effort might seem to have backfired, it did “open a dialogue.”
https://twitter.com/sibyllachips/status/458782495220453376