This is such a symbolic example of what it means to be a Black man in a racist society. You are already perceived to be the aggressor—violent, criminal—and all rationality is suspended to make you into that thing. While you are trying to explain that you are actually the victim, you are being attacked. So even though you are being labeled the aggressor, you’re actually the victim. And it could be revealed instantly that you are the victim (literally, check the bag), but the people around have suspended reality because, to them, you MUST be the aggressor and there is no possible world in which you are not.
And you have to maintain your calm and withstand physical attacks because if you don’t, then you risk being killed—and it will then be justified because they’ll say you were the aggressor.
Innocent man attacked after Woman accused a man of trying to steal her bag, then claimed she was “confused” after police found his belongings and ID inside