This was back in 2015.

https://www.autismforums.com/threads/autistic-man-in-jail-for-talking-to-some-kids.13823/

https://www.freerangekids.com/autistic-man-in-jail-for-talking-to-some-kids/

I used to follow Free Range Kids on a regular basis, since it often had pushback against the stigma of men in the presence of children.

If you look on the Free Range Kids link, what are your thoughts on the last comment? In this case I think it's fair to say it was a nuanced one as he was following kids around and talking about going places with them so it indeed isn't so outlandish to have the police maybe question him and run his ID. But the arrest definitely was a bridge too far.

What I also want to hear is what could be some good counterarguments to comment #29 (on the second page) of the autism forums article. Here it is:

"I know how frustrating it is to be suspected of something you didn't do. I think it does tend to happen to us more than to NT's. Nevertheless, I suspect that people on this forum might actually be overreacting. I have spoken to strange children before myself, but I never got in trouble for it. And I'm odder-looking than most.

And then there's this:

"He walked off then found and talked to the kids again 20 minutes later near Wayne Elementary School, whereupon the children’s mom saw him and called the police. The police found the man in just two minutes."

Why the repeat encounter? It's certainly possible that it was pure chance, but I'm not taking it for granted. I'm sorry. I know some people want to just talk to kids, but children by virtue of being children are more vulnerable in nearly every way. Even if it really is an overreaction to something innocent but peculiar, on balance I think that it is better to have it than not. Anywhere else, I would say no, but children are a special circumstance. A little bit of discomfort on the part of adults to prevent a lifetime of trauma for a child is a fair enough exchange in my opinion. Be indignant at me all you want to. No one who gives a **** about their kid is going to entrust its life to a complete stranger and there is no reason we should expect them to."

While I agree with this commenter on the "gray area" of this case, as it wasn't just cops being called on someone merely watching kids on a playground or something but following them and I don't think there's an epidemic of this kind of stuff even if it happens more than it should, I take issue with the "little bit of discomfort on the part of adults to prevent a lifetime of trauma" talking point. For one, I believe it perpetuates the idea that one bad touch or flash will eternally ruin a life (no i am absolutely not trying to suggest it is ever acceptable, just that it isn't the end of the world to the point that it justifies abandoning due process or equality), but also at odds with basic constitutional rights. If by "discomfort" they mean "not having carte blanche to say anything you want to kids and never having the police even open their mouth at you" that's one thing, but I will die on the hill that being "creepy" shall not be grounds for arrest unless it involves blatant violations of the law.