US: Black man stopped for having hands in pockets

Brandon McKean videoed the police officer who stopped him and also videoed him.

A black man in the US was stopped in the street by a white police officer because he was walking with his hands in his pockets.

American Brandon McKean was walking in Pontiac, Michigan, where the temperature was just above zero degrees, on Thanksgiving Day last week when a police officer stopped him, and asked him what he was doing.

When McKean asked the officer why he was being stopped, he was told: "You're making people nervous".

McKean, who filmed the entire exchange, said: "Wow, walking by having your hands in your pockets makes people nervous and want to call the police? When it's snowing outside?"

The police officer, who was also filming the incident, later explained that "we do have a lot of robberies, I'm just checking on you".

McKean posted the video on YouTube and his Facebook page, with the comment "police state".

During the exchange, McKean made reference to unrest in Ferguson, Missouri.

"Because of the whole police situation going across the country right now this is outrageous," he told the officer.

McKean later posted a picture on his Facebook page of himself, with the caption "Hands still in my pocket".

To watch the video go to tinyurl.com/m7mv4d3.