The Punjab Police in India is facing severe backlash after posting an AI-generated meme referencing the killing of George Floyd, in a move widely condemned as offensive and threatening.
The controversial post, shared from the police department’s official X account (formerly Twitter), featured a digitally altered image resembling the harrowing scene of Floyd’s 2020 death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. In the meme, the officer’s face was replaced with the Indian flag, while the man on the ground—bearing similarities to George Floyd—was faceless and placed beside a Pakistani flag. The accompanying caption warned:
“If you are caught with this flag, be prepared to suffer the consequences.”
The image sparked immediate outrage online. Though the post was swiftly deleted, screenshots had already gone viral, drawing condemnation from users across India and abroad.
Critics blasted the Punjab Police for using a tragic and racially charged moment from American history as a tool for intimidation. Social media users labeled the post as “insensitive,” “racist,” and “highly irresponsible,” especially coming from an official law enforcement account.
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Many pointed out that the meme trivialized George Floyd’s murder and the global racial justice movement it ignited. Others expressed disbelief that such content could be publicly endorsed by a government entity.
As of now, the Punjab Police has not released a formal apology or clarification regarding the incident.