Why was Alex O'Keefe handcuffed on an NYC train? Viral video shows ‘The Bear’ writer calling out a "white woman" for alleged racism

TV writer Alex O'Keefe met with a fateful incident on an NYC train on September 18. As per a report by the AP News, one of his co-passengers, a white woman, called the cops on the train because she didn’t like the way Alex was sitting on the train. As seen in the videos circulating on social media platforms, Alex was dragged out of the train with his hands cuffed. He repeatedly stated that he had done nothing illegal.

Alex O'Keefe claimed that the white woman didn’t like that he was on the transport. He was even heard asking the cops the reason behind the arrest. Following the incident, The Bear writer shared the video on his Instagram, writing:

“I was arrested on the @MTA train to Connecticut today, pulled off, handcuffed, and detained. An old white woman got on the train and immediately pointed at me and told me to correct how I was sitting. I refused so she went to the conductor and complained.”

Alex O'Keefe further wrote that the conductor called the officers on the coach. He even mentioned that the old woman’s friend told him that they were no longer the minority, referring to his Black identity. He added that the cops then asked him to exit the train, to which he demanded an explanation. Alex wrote:

“They pulled me off the train and arrested me without even talking to the Karen who reported the one black person on the train. On the platform, the police detained me and interrogated me.”

MTA said Alex O'Keefe was not sitting appropriately

In the caption of his Instagram post, Alex O'Keefe explained that when he asked for a lawyer and pointed out that the police hadn’t even spoken to the woman who complained, they finally let him go. He added that he felt the country was becoming more troubling each day and questioned what others would do about it.

Meanwhile, according to People Magazine, the MTA shared a statement about the incident, saying that Alex’s posture on the train breached the MTA rule. Reportedly, there was recorded proof that he wasn't sitting properly. The statement added:

“A conductor reported a passenger occupying two seats had refused to remove his feet from one of the seats. When MTAPD officers boarded, he refused police direction to exit. Officers told the passenger to depart the train onto the platform, where he would be able to board a following train.”

On September 22, MTA chairman Janno Lieber said he didn’t watch the video, but he believed the man should not have held up the train by arguing for so long.

He explained that the police only got involved because the person refused to move his feet from the seat, which could have been solved easily by just following the rule and showing respect to others. He also said they would review the video and handle the situation, noting how small issues often turn into big problems nowadays.

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