A still image from a video by Darren Martin.
Darren Martin, a former White House employee under President Obama, was trying to move into his new apartment at 56 West 106th street on Friday night when six police officers suddenly showed up. It turned out that someone (presumably one of his new neighbors) had called the cops on Martin, and he’s pretty sure he knows why. It’s because he was #movingwhileblack.
“I’m a Black man, late at night, moving valuables around in a gentrifying neighborhood,” he wrote on Twitter, where he recorded his thoughts, and a video of the scene. “There are fewer moments less dignifying, than at the scene when the police and witnesses assess you to determine if you committed this crime or perceived crime – when you know you didn’t. Hey, you already fit the profile so that’s half their battle.”
We’ve posted his tweets below.
A police spokesman told us they got a call at 11:26 p.m. “The 911 caller stated that someone was trying to break into the door…a person trying to open the doors on the floor, banging on the doors. It was on the fifth floor. That was location of 911 call. Police arrived at location, but there wasn’t anything going on. Whatever happened there, the condition was corrected.”
NYPD told the Post that he was allowed to leave after 10 minutes.
“The broader message to everyone is get to know folks before you make these assumptions,” Martin told Pix11. “When you make that call there’s no turning back and it could have ended very differently.”
Martin currently works as a special assistant to the commissioner at the city’s Department of Social Services, according to his LinkedIn page.
Another narcissist. Yawn.
Why is it called a “selfie”? Because “narcissistie” is too difficult to spell! 😀
This isn’t narcissism. It’s injustice, and we need to be aware of it,
Should he have kept this to himself?
No. He should tell the world every time he stubs his toe, is late for the bus or gets splashed when a car hits a mud puddle. Hundreds of Twitter posts preferably.
This reply is not convincing because it is hyperbole.
Did Mr. Martin or someone who was with him bang on any doors or do anything else that created relatively loud noise at that hour of the night? And considering even just the ordinary noise involved in moving into a new apartment, how prudent is it to do so at that hour of the night? How considerate of one’s new neighbors?
But let’s say that Mr. Martin, for whatever reason or combination of reasons, was justified in moving at that hour of the night. And that he cannot be held to blame for any noise that was created as a result of his actions. Still, can one blame any resident in the building for being alarmed by noise at that hour?
How much opportunity would neighbors have had to get know a new tenant before said tenant actually moved-in?
Couldn’t the same be said for anyone hearing unusual noise such as “banging on the doors” (to use the exact words of the police spokesman quoted in the article) at that hour of the night? Instead of calling the police from the safety of his locked apartment, he should leave it to go investigate the source of the noise, thereby placing himself into potential danger?
I doubt you’d make this comment about a white person, no matter how late at night. ” Know thyself”
Very lucid and well thought out comment. Skin color is irrelevant in this situation. The race card was inevitably going to be played here. POC feel entitled nowadays to any behavior whatsoever (moving in at 11:30 at night???!!!) Then blaming the repercussions on racism. How about being considerate of your new neighbors and not blaming the consequences of your inconsiderate behavior on supposed racism. Reminds me of the Starbucks incident. Not everything is about race. Behavior dictates most situations and the aftermath.
About 80% of this comment section makes me embarrassed to live on the UWS. I hope none of you will ever be either my or Darren’s neighbors. Good Lord.
Have you considered moving to a black neighborhood? If you’re white/Jewish/Asian, then surely you would want to help to integrate and diversify an area that was almost all black, wouldn’t you?
a passive/aggressive racist comment by Independent. actually, not very passive. Mostly aggressive.
Let’s leave aside whether anyone would’ve called the cops on a white person making moving noises that late. I’ll tell you one thing that neighbor should not be doing: lying to the damn cops about a burglar with a weapon. That person could have gotten him killed. I hope they are deeply ashamed of themselves.
Those people saying he’s self-absorbed or whatever…have you been in a coma for the last five years, not to know the kind of danger he was in?
Mr. Martin, I’m sorry this happened to you. It should never have. Welcome to the neighborhood.
Well said, the part about the mortal danger he was in. Racism is very atypical of UWS residents, fortunately, and I’m confident that Mr. Martin realizes that. The police presence creates a different equation, though.
Ya forgot to apologize because you are white dude!
George, are you thick, or just spewing your racist narrative? Asking for a (black) friend.
I’m sorry, but who moves into a building at 11:30 pm and what building allows that. I would be very concerned if I heard strange noises at that hour and would probably call the police if I saw someone unfamiliar moving things in the hallway.
Oh, and I’m a POC.
Were are you from?
everyone in New York moves into buildings at odd hours.
most cant afford to take off time from work to move.
I’m a small landlord and my tenants in and out at all days, hours weekends etc.
only Park Avenue can afford to set specific hours..
moving also takes a long time. even if you start at the crack of dawn you will invariably still be moving stuff late in the evening
Not very welcoming, and I’m a human being.
Not very intelligent doing it at that hour.
Billy, I agree that it was too late, but that doesn’t justify a robbery in process call.
My first thought too. My neighbor moved at that hour as well. I wish I called the cops on him. Only he was moving OUT so I knew him and was glad he was going.
You can tell this guy is not a New Yorker. IME long-time New Yorkers are more considerate.
Large apartment buildings restrict moving in or out between 9 and 5 mondays to fridays, to prevent disruption to neighbors.
Moving into a 5 floor walk up at 11:26 on a friday night seems extremely unusual. It would likey be very noisy and could seem suspicious… no matter the demographics of the people.
It just confirms my unsaid belief that “see something, say something” is an empty phrase in our PC world.
No one should get this treatment. Respect you neighbors or live in the hell you create for yourself.
This is sensationalism at its worst. Who cares if he’s black, white, or green? Why should we have to be afraid to call 911 if we think someone is robbing an apartment in the middle of the night? Are supposed to go in and interview a would-be burgler before we deduce what’s happening? Sorry, but I’m more interested in protecting my loved ones and will not be reverting back to the days of “If you see something, say nothing.”
@ROb G can’t tell the difference between someone moving into an apartment and someone robbing it?
Go out in the hallway and take a look!!
If someone, no matter what color, was moving in at 11:30 pm causing noise, I’d call the police too.
Darren will soon learn that in order to get a quick response to a 911 call, you must make it a call of importance. This neighbor of his was most likely upset at the noise and called in the call as robbery to get a quicker response. Ask any 2-4 officer, noise complaints are low on their priority list.
A.C., you’re exactly right. If a neighbor had called and complained about the RUDE racket at 1130 at night, nothing would have happened. This isn’t about racism, it’s about rude behavior of the guy moving in, and manipulation of calling 911. That’s it.
making false reports to 911 is a crime. in advocating “manipulating” 911, you are the one who is advocating criminal activity.
Granting that moving into an apartment at 11:30 is likely to raise the ire of your neighbors, do you all really think that if he had been a white guy who looked like a teacher or Wall Streeter, he wouldn’t have gotten yelled at, instead of having the police called on him?
Is this guy showing a complete lack of self-awareness? Yes. Are you guys showing a complete lack of self-awareness? Yes.
As many other commenters have pointed out, moving in to your apartment at 11pm is not considerate. Most people would get pissed off. I know I would. Its what happened NEXT that makes it messed up.
Did his new neighbors ask him what was going on? Did they ask him to stop?
No. Based on his reports (which may not be true) and the police reporting to him, they called the police saying someone was breaking in.
And if you think that reaction was not due to the color of this dude’s skin, you are being willfully naive.
You (and Erica) are ASSUMING that Mr. Martin was actually seen, and not merely heard, which reveals a lot about you, your mindset and motivations. #racistrabblerousers
Having been awoken by loud noises at 11:30PM, what precisely should his neighbors have done?
“Excuse me Mr. Negro, are you burglarizing that apartment or moving into it, at 11:30PM on a Friday night? And either way, is it really necessary for you to make so much noise?
There is ZERO indication that the police were called due to the color of anyone’s skin.
Mr. Martin seems like a very self-absorbed, inconsiderate neighbor. On the other hand, I can see how the experience would be unsettling to him, and I am very happy and relieved that he experienced no more than wounded pride. It could very easily have been worse, judging from his apparent aggressive attitude from the video clip, and btw, was that an African-American police officer in the background responding to the call, perhaps making his own assumptions?
He said he was moving valuables. And all that stuff about a weapon and trying to break the door down was clearly made up. A n d, the reason I know for sure caller is racists–if the caller reported the person had a weapon, the caller is indicating he or she observed the mover, and would have seen him opening the door with a key, not trying to break into the apartment.
Wow. You seem completely unaware that you proved my point.
Only if your “point” was that you yourself are completely un-self-aware?
Most buildings have rules about when people are allowed to move large items into their apartments.
At the very least this guy was rude and insensitive about moving in to his new place @ 11:30 PM and disrupting his new neighbors.
I don’t care if this guy is black or white or purple. If I lived in this building I would have called the cops as well.
Doesn’t ANYONE talk to their neighbors anymore?
Is this fear city?
What’s going on here?
Wow, I am saddened by the responses to this article. Take this man’s full situation seriously rather than latch onto the time he moved into his apt.
Sure moving in at 11:30 on is objectively highly inconsiderate. But I also HIGHLY doubt that more than 10% of the WSR commenters complaining about his late night move would have called the police if Marvin were white.
And even if the police were called, it would have been a noise complaint, not a suspected break-in.
Typical libs in this city… Preach tolerance and get scared when a black guy moves in next door…
No shock, hypocrite frauds
Uh oh; who else is reminded of the instance of the Prof. from Harvard Univ. being arrested ? DID Pres. B. H. Obama, later share a craft Beer with the police officer & the Prof. ? Decent apts. for citizens, esp. via some of social work are difficult enough to obtain in N.Y.C.: even in @ 5 slums, [which I don’t name here]. WHO does a housewarming party for that Martin …? Best prayers for “Home Sweet Home.”
So, a stranger, not known to current tenants, is moving around and making noise in a residential building at 11:00 p.m., in a neighborhood that is not without its share of robberies.
Neighbors (presumably only white people, not any other minorities) call the police. Could there be ANY possible reason other than … racism?
Sadly,the ideology of victimhood is alive and well and flourishing.
This man could have just as easily thanked the brave NYPD officers for responding so quickly. Instead, he will now become a celebrity and receive many, many apologies from guilty white people. But if he ever needs to call the NYPD to respond to his building, I’m sure he will not think about if he is calling because the possible criminal is black or white.
Reading all these comments about moving in late and the noise that is made. Seriously? Where do you people live as I want to move there. I deal with drunk neighbors, parties in back yards till all hours of the night, delivery people racing up and down the stairs so loudly and hard stuff falls off my shelves, and the grunting and groaning of neighbors having sex. This is New York where no one actually really cares about anyone else. So if you really think that this was about anything else than the color of his skin, you are about as smart as a box of rocks. This is a sad world we live in……
Are we sure that the person who called 911 even knew his race? It sounds like the basis of the call was a lot of noise and banging. There is a decent chance that the caller thought it was a robber and rather than confront the person, immediately dialed 911.
Unfortunately, there remain countless acts of racism in our society. It is a lot better than it used to be but still far from perfect. But let’s stop jumping to conclusions so quickly based on a limited fact pattern. And as others have noted, he clearly sacrificed his right to receive the benefit of the doubt by being incredibly inconsiderate and doing a noisy move at a very late hour – everyone would have been a lot more sympathetic at 11:26 am.
Also, kudos to NYPD for handling the situation professionally. I’m not sure why six officers were needed, but it sounds like they generally treated him in a respectful manner.
I know that the first thing I do when I hear a loud noise in New York is call the police.
I never even look out the window / doorway to see what’s going on.
I have 911 on speed dial.
Just how I roll.
You must live in a very quiet neighborhood. If you live in a densely populated neighbor hood like South Bronx/Harlem, I bet the police are sick of you!
And if anyone had looked or inquired, they would have seen that he was moving things into the apartment. He was not taking things.
Are you kidding me, making a ruckus in a walk up close to midnight? Never mind taking up the time of our police force due to his lack of consideration for his neighbors.
This guy must have come from the moon not to know loud noise in a walk-up hallway at that hour would elicit concern folks with with sleeping children, women who live alone and those with dogs who were undoubtedly barking from banging sounds in the hallway.
Grow up big guy, you are not the center of the universe. Move in at a civilized hour and if you can’t make sure you move in quietly. Chalk it up to another millennial who doesn’t yet know his ass from his elbow.
Sorry, but in this city, in a building without a doorman, at that time of night, I would hardly be comfortable confronting a stranger in the hallway. People get the crap beat out of them for sticking their nose in other peoples business too often to take a chance. If you are uncomfortable with something in your building then calling the cops is just fine in my book. Now, his treatment by the cops? Well that’s a different story.
The comments are fascinating. Does anyone remember the Roshomon episode on All in the Family?
Moving is a pain. If circumstances make you move in at 11pm, neighbors should at the very least be understanding. And I would have gone and welcomed the guy to the building.
Anyway, though I live a few blocks away, Welcome to the UWS Darren! This neighborhood has its share of assholes, as you can see from this comments section, but there are also a lot of great people. I hope you get past this initial challenge to enjoy the community. And this community WELCOMES you.
Sure, his neighbors may not have known his race. But the cops sure did. Would they have acted like this if he were white?
I’m going to go with no.
Can you please explain what the cops did that was inappropriate? It sounds like they handled this professionally. They received a call regarding a potential intruder, arrived at the scene relatively quickly (though I’m not sure why so many of them were necessary) and seem to have treated him in a professional manner.
I cant blame the neighbor. He had every reason to suspect.
Dear Darren,
So sorry you had an unwelcome to the neighborhood party, but glad you, under that kind of pressure (and I’ve been there, so I know the pressure, except that I’m white, so less pressure,) had the presence of mind to document in case anything went awry, and I’m glad it didn’t go awry. FYI: The 24th precinct has a reputation for corruption that goes up and down depending on the rotation of complaints and commanding officers, so I am truly glad it went as well as it did for you. As for your neighbors? Well, there are those of us who are kind and welcoming to all who keep the peace and show respect. As for those that never learned to be civil (or compassionate) in a public forum? Laugh at their sorry behaviors.
It makes me wonder if this guy should have been a little more pro-active and used it as a great opportunity to meet all of his neighbors.
Example…why not print out a little note saying that due to time issues you are going to be moving in at 11:00PM on whatever night.
You know, like back in the day when we would have a party and put everyone on notice that their might be some a little extra noise…and invite everyone to come by for a drink, etc.
Then put this note under doors (not that many units in a walk-up) or just at the front door, or in the elevator. I don’t know. Seems like a little effort and courtesy could have avoided this whole mess.
Just my two cents. I guess it’s easier to just have miscommunication and then accusations, etc. It’s unfortunate.
We don’t know if (a) the 911 caller saw Mr. Martin before phoning and (b) would have done so had he been a skinny white dude in a Columbia sweatshirt and eyeglasses.
Years ago when I was young and dumb(er), I somehow managed not to arrive at my new 4th floor walk-up until it was 11pm and a van load of items were parked at the curb. My only resort was to go to the local D’Ags and hire a guy who worked behind the meat counter to help move the furniture upstairs when his shift was over.
So come midnight, here was this man of color, built like a linebacker, carrying a desk on his back up 3 flights of stairs. The door at one landing flew open and an irate tenant demanded to know who he was and what he was “up to.” I poked my pale face around the corner and the tenant visibly relaxed, then proceeded to bawl me out for making a ruckus at such an hour.
I find the comments here about building move-in rules amusing and obviously from people who don’t live in walk-ups filled with 20somethings. I continue to be amazed at how often people don’t try to assess a situation in person before phoning the cops, the fire department, the co-op board, the community board, the humane society, you name it.
However, I also understand why someone in a dicier neighborhood late at night wouldn’t assume the noises were benign, or open the door to ask what was up before dialing cops. The harsh fact is that both prejudice and the faces we see on local crime reports play a role in our responses. The only time I got mugged was by a knife-carrying 13-year-old who could have been the son or nephew of the nice guy that helped me move 30 years ago.
Dear Mr. Martin, I’ve always lived in a racially mixed apartment building on the UWS. Not all people here are racist although some are; not all are anti-Semitic although some are; not all are misogynist although some are and not all look down on people making and having less money although some do. It is sad, disappointing, unfair and plain stupid that any neighbor called the NYPD because a young black man was moving his possessions into his new apartment. When will we ever learn?
I bid you welcome to a neighborhood that has been and is far better than the welcome you received on 106th Street. There are many of us (in fact most of us) on the UWS who are far better and kinder, and free of prejudice, racism and other repulsive social attitudes and beliefs. Alas, some of the comments match those attitudes. But the internet affords the kind of anonymity that permits people to vent their stupidity.(A neat rhyme!)
Please enjoy your apartment and your life here with us. I hope I may even meet you sometime.
With warm regards.
but do we really know if someone called the cops because he is black or just because he was making an (obvious) holy ruckus at 11pm ?
As a former member of the NYPD I think the cops handled it with great professionalism.I can assure most UWS Rag readers,I’ve lived on the UWS before most of you.
Also,”AB”—what do you know about police work besides being a hater of cops in general????
As a long-time subscriber to the WSR this is the first time I have thought seriously about unsubscribing. Some of the comments – the hypothesizing without facts, the blaming, the blatant racism and the rush to judgement were almost unbearable to read.
I can only wonder if anyone of color is on this thread.
Whatever happened to imagining walking in the shoes of another?
Shameful.
“I can only wonder if anyone of color is on this thread.” – Sarah
Mary mentioned that she’s a person of color.
Also, don’t unsubscribe. We need more education to broaden outlooks, not less.
Sarah, I hope for yours and your neighbors’ sake, you would also call the cops if the same situation was happening on your floor. Perhaps you should try walking in the shoes of others before you jump on your soapbox and start crying racism and lecturing everyone else.
Your opinion on Daniel Pantaleo will be the deciding factor about whether your opinion on racism and police brutality matters. Most of you only want to protect your “brothers” in blue. Not my NYPD!
Who made you the arbiter of whose opinion “matters”?
Who are you to issue litmus tests to anyone posting here?
Neighbors should have taken time to observe that Darren was bring stuff in, noy looting an apartment. At that point they could have warmly welcomed him to the building by helping with the schlep up and down the stairs and given him welcome gifts. Maybe even lighten his load by inviting him to breakfast on Saturday morning
I’ve lived in NYC on the same block for three decades. I love this neighborhood, and I love my neighbors, but I gotta say — you guys are the nastiest bunch of people I’ve ever read. Seriously. You’re all a bunch of privileged, angry people who enjoy mobbing — when you’re anonymous. Just so much ugliness. This city certainly has changed, and not at all for the better.
Some of yall have incredibly tedious excuses. You cant even sling dog whistles without sounding like female ones.He had been moving all day. He didn’t start moving at 1130pm, if youd care to actually find out more than what you think you know before posting proposterous hypotheticals showing the level of cognitive dissonance some will stoop to justify blatant bigotry. Points: You can call in a noise complaint. You dont call in a false claim saying he has a weapon. Hes orginally from the Bronx, and thank God he has the presence of mind to think two steps ahead about him devious, duplicitous, and patholigical, and pathetic some people can be.
You cant even sling dog whistles without sounding like female ones.
Isn’t that sexist and misogynist? What’s wrong with female dogs?
He wasn’t criticizing the female dogs, but rather the “incredibly tedious excuses”.
You’ve now posted three of these in a row.
Stay “Independent” without offering these excuses for the neighbor’s lousy behavior.
Brush it off Darren.
No big deal. Not a racial thing definitely.
You are in the big city now and learn to adjust.
Welcome to NY!
What a sad experience for everyone involved. I’m sorry Mr. Martin feels that he was a victim of racial profiling but I get the feeling that he is assuming that the the neighbor that filed the complaint is white which was never established. Lesson: Use common sense and realize that a late night disturbance in a possibly normally quiet building would of course alarm tenants who see a stranger in their halls. You’ve certainly made quite an entrance to the neighborhood! I hope you do your best, like i try to do, to make it a better place. Antagonism and rushing to conclusions is not a method Mr. Obama ever used in dealing with conflict- a good lesson for all.
The subject line reads: “Cops Called on Black Man Moving Into His Own UWS Apartment.” It should say “Cops Called on Man Moving Into His Apartment around Midnight.” Why make it a racial issue when it is a behavioral issue?
i don’t care what color someones skin is; black, white, yellow, green
if someone starts banging walls, doors and moving furniture into my building at 11pm ! I AM CALLING THE COPS
For me this is the more plausible reason for the call to the cops, did this guy ever think that could be the reason ? woe is me
But would you report “someone was trying to break into the door…a person trying to open the doors on the floor, banging on the doors.”?
That people here would seriously endorse lying to the police about believing there is a robbery in progress, because you are bothered by some noise, is disturbing. You can put someone’s life in jeopardy doing this.
And (since some of you clearly don’t care very much about that first issue) it’s a disrespect to the police as well.
Good point.
If we don’t think of the implications we will suffer them.
Alot of you sound IGNORANT AS FUCK!!! Why is it when one of our own, puts injustice on blast SOMEONE ALWAYS WANTS TO PLAY KNOW IT ALL AND A DAM LAWYER !!! STFU! All these dam senerios & Ppl trying to justify their own ignorance! YOUR IGNORANCE AGAINST OUR OWN IS WHY KILLING OUR OWN IS SO EASY . They give us all the tools to hang ourselves AND YOU DUMMIES LOVE TO TIE THE ROPE AROUND OUR NECKS . Type away say what u want . But know , no matter what. Ur the issue. No matter what … I see ur name N think COON.. Ill see ur names and this k ignorant.. trader and stupid .
Guess I’ll have to await a translation.
“Coon”?
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/coon
UWS – I lived there for 19 yrs and found the dogs to be much friendlier than their owners. I am White and very rarely were fellow White people friendly. The people who were community to me were People of Color and the store owners. If you want to see the type of people who live in your neighborhood – go to the local post office and watch how they treat the USPS employees. Seriously, the ladies at the post office on 95th and Columbus are freaking saints for the patience they have shown.
Racist garbage some of you. Sheesh. No wonder we are where we are.
Well, where is the proof that someone was banging on walls and trying to open doors? LOL.Thankfully this guy wasn’t murdered, as has happened to black men seeking help after car accidents, asking directions, etc. SHAME on West Side Rag for allowing racist commenters to spew their hatred under the cover of “analysis”. YOU are part of the problem.