Black man arrested after paying for bike at Walmart, sparking protest

Protesters are planning to converge on a Pennsylvania police department Wednesday after the arrest of a black man in a local Walmart — even though he had paid for a bicycle for his son and had a receipt.

Stanley Gracius, 37, was confronted by two cops inside the Wyomissing store Monday and arrested while repeatedly asking why he was being taken into custody, and was later tased and hog-tied, according to the Reading Eagle.

“I didn’t do nothing wrong. Why are you arresting me?” Gracius is heard saying on video of the bust posted on Facebook. “I paid. Everybody saw that, right? I had a receipt. So why are the cops doing this to me? What did I do wrong? Somebody, please tell me what I did wrong.”

A Walmart store manager called police after Gracius was allegedly seen riding the bicycle in the store, playing loud music and shouting profanities, the outlet reported. When police arrived, he was paying for the bike.

According to the Eagle, cops said Gracius scuffled with police outside the store and tried to wrestle a Taser away from one of the officers. He was arrested on charges including aggravated assault, resisting arrest, trespassing and disorderly conduct.

Despite the public outcry over the incident, local prosecutors said the officers acted appropriately.

“This office has conducted an independent review of the incident which took place yesterday at Walmart in Wyomissing,” the Berks County District Attorney’s Office said on Twitter Tuesday. “We have determined that @wyopd acted appropriately while arresting Stanley Gaston Gracius.”

However, the arrest didn’t sit well with many in the community, who are planning the protest at the police department.

“He was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest,” one Twitter user said online. “You can even hear witnesses say they saw him pay for the bike. If that is the case, imagine the indignity you would feel in this situation. Stanley will get paid.”