The #MyNYPD meme originated in April 2014 when the New York City Police Department's Twitter account invited the public to share photos of themselves with officers. The intended community-building exercise quickly transformed into a massive viral protest as thousands of users responded by posting photos of police misconduct and aggressive arrests. This incident remains a textbook example of 'bashtagging,' where a promotional hashtag is hijacked by critics. In internet culture, the template is used to satirize failed corporate or governmental PR attempts, demonstrating the power of crowdsourced activism and the unpredictable nature of social media campaigns.