Introduction
The “lady who called police on bbq” refers to an incident that took place in Oakland, California in April 2018. A white woman called the police to report a group of black people illegally using a charcoal grill in a park. The story spread rapidly on social media and sparked widespread outrage and accusations of racial profiling.
This article will provide a comprehensive overview of the incident, the people involved, the aftermath and public response, and the broader issues around racism and racial profiling that it highlighted. We will examine both sides of the story – the perspective of the woman who made the call and the group she reported – as well as the relevant park regulations and how this fits into the larger societal context.
The Incident
On April 29, 2018, a woman called the Oakland Police Department to report that a group was using a charcoal grill in a non-designated area of Lake Merritt park in Oakland, California. Cellphone video footage shows the woman, who is white, confronting two black men who were barbecuing with a charcoal grill near Lake Merritt, telling them they were not allowed to use a charcoal grill in the park and that they were breaking the law by doing so.
“I’m just telling you this is not the place to do it,” the woman can be heard saying in the video.
One of the men responds, “Why is it illegal?”
The woman replies, “It’s illegal in this particular area.”
The men protest that they are not breaking any laws, with one saying “There is no sign here saying we cannot do that.” The woman persists in her complaint, saying she has seen the signs, and threatens to call the police if they don’t stop barbecuing. The encounter continues to escalate from there, eventually leading the woman to call the police.
Video of the confrontation was recorded and posted on social media by Michelle Snider, the wife of one of the men grilling, where it quickly went viral. The video spurred widespread accusations of racism and racial profiling against the unidentified white woman. The woman was derisively dubbed online as “BBQ Becky,” linking her to similar “permit patty” incidents.
The People Involved
The Woman Who Called the Police
The white woman who called the police has not been officially identified. She has been referred to on social media by nicknames such as “BBQ Becky” and “Lake Merritt lady.” Based on her comments in the viral video, she is an Oakland resident familiar with the park regulations in the area. Her motivation for calling the police appears to be enforcement of the rule prohibiting charcoal grills in that section of the park.
Kenzie Smith & Onsayo Abram
Kenzie Smith and Onsayo Abram were the two black men using the charcoal grill in the park. They are Oakland residents who were having a cookout with their friends that day in the park. Smith works as an event coordinator. Abram is an entrepreneur and youth mentor. Neither had previous interactions with “BBQ Becky” prior to her confronting them about their use of the grill that day.
Michelle Snider
Michelle Snider captured the viral video of the incident while at the park for her husband Kenzie Smith’s birthday gathering. She intervened, questioning “BBQ Becky” heatedly on why she felt the need to call the police on them. Snider took the video after feeling the woman was harassing them unfairly and posted it to social media, where it quickly went viral. She felt the woman’s actions were racially motivated.
The Aftermath & Public Response
The video of the confrontation sparked intense discussion and debate around issues of racism, racial profiling, and “white privilege.” Many people accused the woman of overreacting and unnecessarily calling the police simply because the group was black.
Thousands took to social media to criticize her actions as racially motivated, arguing a similarly behaved group of white people would not have elicited such a response. The woman was skewered as the latest embodiment of “BBQ Becky,” a nickname referencing white women who’ve recently had police called on black people for seemingly innocuous acts like napping, swimming, and selling bottled water.
Oakland City Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney publicly criticized the woman’s actions, saying “I’m struggling to understand why someone would go to such lengths to disturb a celebration of life and diversity.”
Meanwhile, others defended the woman’s actions as simply trying to enforce park rules, unrelated to race. Critics of the viral video backlash argued the woman was being unfairly vilified on social media.
The Oakland Police Department ultimately did not issue any citations to the group over the charcoal grill. Officials noted that while charcoal grills are not allowed in the specific area where the group was, enforcement is at officer discretion.
Why It Went Viral
The “BBQ Becky” video quickly went viral because it ties into ongoing social debates about racial profiling and white privilege. Many people saw it as a clear example of an unnecessary police call motivated by bias against black people enjoying themselves in public. It follows a series of similarly controversial incidents around the U.S. involving white people calling police on black people for minor perceived infractions.
These viral cases have sparked the “X while black” meme and fueled a debate over “living while black” – the concept that black people are often unfairly targeted in situations that white people would not be. The video’s prevalence on social media reflects widespread frustration, especially among communities of color, over issues of racial bias and injustice.
The Park Regulations
At the center of the controversy were questions around the relevant park regulations on grilling. According to Oakland city ordinances, portable charcoal grills are only allowed in designated picnic sites in Lake Merritt park. They are not permitted in the area where the viral incident occurred. Gas grills are allowed in the park if they are at least 25 feet away from flammable materials.
However, enforcement of these regulations is at the discretion of responding officers. The relevant city code states that police may issue citations for violations, not that they are obligated to, indicating room for flexibility.
Officials noted that while the group was violating a technical city rule, the situation did not necessarily call for strict enforcement or police involvement. Many questioned whether the woman who called police was even aware of the specifics of the ordinance or simply saw an opportunity to target the group.
Racism and BBQs – A Long History
On the surface, the Lake Merritt incident revolved around an alleged violation of a minor city ordinance. However, it taps into a lengthy history of racism and barbecuing in public spaces.
The concept of the barbecue originated in the Caribbean and was brought to America through slavery. Barbecues ultimately became associated with Southern black culture and a powerful vehicle for community gathering and civil rights organizing.
During segregation, black-led political rallies with public barbecues were sometimes violently shut down. So the act of barbecuing in public spaces carried deeper connotations of black empowerment and resistance.
Critics argue the woman’s complaint about the group barbecuing was inherently tied to race and an attempt to suppress their presence in the public park, whether consciously or not. This history gives extra context for why the incident sparked such outrage.
Broader Issues of Racism and Racial Profiling
The Lake Merritt incident ties into several ongoing issues of racism and racial profiling in America:
Living While Black
The “living while black” concept refers to black people being unfairly targeted while engaging in normal everyday activities. The barbecue video struck a chord because many felt it exemplified that even a gathering as inocuous as a family cookout can be weaponized against black people.
Weaponizing the Police
Many people expressed outrage that the woman felt compelled to call the police over such a minor violation. This incident was viewed by many as part of a pattern of white Americans unnecessarily using law enforcement as an instrument to harass people of color.
Racial Stereotyping
Implicit bias and racial stereotyping likely played a role. The woman may have associated a black-led barbecue in the park with threatening behavior or unlawfulness, prompting the overreaction.
White Privilege
Some argued the video encapsulated white privilege – the idea that as a white woman, the complainer’s voice and report were taken more seriously by authorities than the black men she was targeting.
How Should These Incidents Be Handled?
The Lake Merritt viral video also raised broader questions over how confrontations driven by racial prejudice or unconscious bias should be handled, both by the parties involved and authorities:
- NotCalling the Police – Many felt the woman should have approached the group politely to share her concern rather than immediately threatening police action. This could have opened a constructive dialogue and mutual understanding between both parties.
- Confronting Privilege – Critics pointed out the need for white people to confront their own racial privilege and consider context before making serious claims of rule-breaking by minorities.
- Law Enforcement Discretion – Police must use good judgment over whether minor infractions truly necessitate citations or arrests, especially those sparked by racially charged calls.
- Policy Over Enforcement – Creating fair policies and signage is more constructive than uneven enforcement. Lake Merritt could benefit from clearer barbecue regulations that are considerate of residents of all backgrounds.
The Woman’s Perspective
While the woman’s actions were condemned by many as racially motivated, she has not publicly shared her version of events. Some possibilities that could provide context include:
- She was unaware of the nuances of the park grilling policy and made a mistake in good faith.
- She felt she had the duty to report what she believed was a violation, unrelated to race.
- There may have been previous incidents or park damage from improperly located grills that sparked her to call authorities.
- She may have felt outnumbered and threatened by the group’s response, prompting her to call for back-up, not because of their race.
- Mental health issues or trauma could have influenced her reaction.
Of course, these contexts do not necessarily excuse racial profiling or overreaction. But the woman’s perspective could reveal additional sides to the story worth considering before vilifying her entirely online.
How the Men Responded
Despite the outrage of being confronted and filmed while simply trying to enjoy a barbecue, Abram and Smith maintained composure in the video. They made efforts to defuse the situation calmly, neither threatening the woman nor becoming overtly hostile in response to her provocations.
Some key ways the men sought to de-escalate the incident:
- Politely questioning her directives rather than refusing outright
- Filming the encounter to document it peacefully rather than retaliating
- Attempting to cite reasons they felt they were not in violation
- Keeping distance and disengaging from the argument when it was clear the woman remained unreasonable.
Their restraint provides an example of addressing tense confrontations thoughtfully, especially when race may be a factor.
Positive Outcomes
While the Lake Merritt incident was disturbing, some positive outcomes emerged from the viral video and subsequent debate:
- Starting Dialogue – The story opened meaningful conversations about lingering racism and unconscious bias in everyday situations.
- Increasing Awareness – It highlighted the need for marginalized groups to film interactions as a means of accountability.
- Teachable Moment – The public discourse provided chances for education on racial issues and appropriate responses.
- Promoting Equity – Oakland officials re-evaluated park rules and enforcement practices for equity across races.
- Community Building – The barbecue organizers leveraged the momentum to bring people together for constructive community events.
The Organizers’ Community Response
Following the incident, Kenzie Smith and Onsayo Abram decided to turn the negative experience into positive change. They worked with Oakland Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney to host a massive community barbecue called “BBQ’N While Black” in the same park location.
The event sought to promote positive race relations and deter unfounded calls to police. It brought hundreds together for food, fun, and connection. They have made it an annual event focused on safe community gatherings in public spaces.
Smith said: “This means more than just having a barbecue…It’s a statement to the community that no matter what happens, we can come together.” The viral confrontation ultimately brought people together more than dividing them.
Conclusion
The Lake Merritt barbecue incident touched a nerve because it encapsulated ongoing racial prejudices and injustices at the micro level. But the thoughtful responses and constructive dialogue that emerged shows change is possible through education, policy overhaul, and community togetherness.
The path forward lies in keeping our shared public spaces open and welcoming to people of all races. Rather than weaponizing enforcement policies, we must ensure fair treatment for all, seeking to bridge divides of misunderstanding.
While racism and bias underlie many police calls against minorities, we should not vilify without context. The woman at Lake Merritt likely had reasons for her actions that she should be allowed to share before being condemned outright based on one viral moment.
Still, we must continue calling out and challenging racial profiling when we see it. Citizens should feel empowered to document concerning incidents safely, while authorities must exercise discretion in enforcement.
With care, compassion and community, the arc of change can continue bending toward racial justice, one barbecue at a time.