 "#IStandWithAhmed: From Obama to Zuckerberg, biggest names in science, tech lend support to Muslim schoolboy")
A Muslim teen was led out of a Texas school in handcuffs after a teacher mistook his homemade digital clock for a bomb, prompting accusations of Islamophobia and an online backlash on Wednesday.
A photo of Ahmed Mohamed, 14, standing in handcuffs while wearing a t-shirt with the US space agency NASA’s logo was retweeted thousands of times in a matter of hours and “#IStandWithAhmed” was the top trending hashtag on Twitter.
Among those voicing support for the boy was Hillary Clinton, who tweeted: “Assumptions and fear don’t keep us safe-they hold us back. Ahmed, stay curious and keep building.”
Mohamed told The Dallas Morning News that he was just trying to impress his teachers when he brought the clock to MacArthur High school on Monday.
“My hobby is to invent stuff,” he said in a video posted on the paper’s website that was filmed in his electronics-filled bedroom.
“I made a clock. It was really easy. I wanted to show something small at first… they took it wrong so I was arrested for a hoax bomb.” AFP
Here are some of the Twitter reactions:
Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great.
— President Obama (@POTUS44) September 16, 2015
You’ve probably seen the story about Ahmed, the 14 year old student in Texas who built a clock and was arrested when he…
Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday, 16 September 2015
When a kid who loves robotics builds a clock & wants to show his classmates, we should celebrate him. Not arrest him. #IStandWithAhmed
— Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) September 16, 2015
If you punish innovation, you stifle societal growth and development. #IStandWithAhmed @IStandWithAhmed
— Fida Chaaban (@fida) September 17, 2015
Anytime you wanna see Mars rovers Ahmed, let me know. #IStandWithAhmed
— Mapperwocky(@mapperwocky@bsky.social and Mastodon) (@cirquelar) September 16, 2015
Hey Ahmed, give me a call in a couple years. We could always use smart, curious & creative people. https://t.co/02a4feMrk5
— Bobak Ferdowsi (@tweetsoutloud) September 16, 2015
Infact, I think the whole of JPL would welcome Ahmed with open arms. #IStandWithAhmed https://t.co/9FU3ZlHkCi
— Doug Ellison (@doug_ellison) September 16, 2015
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