“Clockboy” Ahmed Mohamed said he would have been awarded instead of arrested for bringing that clock to school if he were white.
In an interview with Yahoo News Live, Mohamed became visibly upset when the host, Bianna Golodryga, pressed him on whether there were racial motivations behind his September 14 arrest.
BG: “Do you think if you were a caucasian, non-Muslim you would’ve received the same treatment? Because law enforcement seems to say ‘yes’. Do you agree with them?”
AM:“I don’t know.”
BG: “You don’t know?”
AM:“I don’t agree with them because I’m pretty sure if I was a caucasian male I wouldn’t have got arrested, because it’s not right, because you know… Pretty sure I would’ve been awarded the smartest kid in class if I was a caucasian male.”
Mohammed was invited to the White House’s first Astronomy Night after President Obama tweeted a message of support at him two days after his arrest.
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 (@POTUS) September 16, 2015
Mohamed did get to briefly speak with Obama at the event, despite reports that the White House had tried to distance Obama from Mohammed. “I don’t believe that the president will have the opportunity to meet with meet one-on-one with Ahmed Mohamed,” press secretary Josh Earnest said in a White House briefing Monday.
Ahmed Mohamed — “clock boy” — meeting @POTUS at White House Astronomy Night pic.twitter.com/94hgLe3sIU
— Kevin Liptak (@Kevinliptakcnn) October 20, 2015
Obama isn’t the only president Mohamed has had the pleasure of meeting lately. Last week, he met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is also accused of genocide and regarded as a war criminal. Mohamed said he continues to pursue his interests in science, and his next project is an electrical generator.