A photographer has claimed that the touching photo of a crying 12-year-old African American boy, Devonte Hart, hugging a Caucasian police officer, Bret Barnum, was staged for cameras.

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Alexander Riedlinger has suggested that what is now called the "Ferguson Hug" was cropped and set up for propaganda.

He shared a series of images that he took himself from the protest in Portland, Ore. that has now become a viral sensation.

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"Here are the images of Devonte I took. The first depicts him and his guardian just prior to him approaching the officer, in my mind she seems to be coaching him though the picture does not imply this. The second was taken just before the hug and you can see as a crowd and captive audience is starting to form."

He added that the now infamous picture was cut down in order to pull of a public relations stint for police officers.

"Every picture I've seen of this crops out the circus of photographers that surrounded these two creating a captive audience. With such a captive audience I can't really say that the officer did anything that his superiors would have told him to do.

I would like to add that Devonte was crying before approaching the officer while he was talking to his guardian, presumably because he was terrified."

Still, Barnum also provided his account of events as well. Hart was holding a sign in front of the police barricade that offered free hugs during the protest. It was just one of several around the country after a grand jury decided not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson after he shot and killed Mike Brown.

Barnum said he told Hart to come closer and asked him why he was crying. Hart then revealed he was "sad" because of the unrest the country was experiencing after the verdict.

"For a kid ... that's a pretty big pill to swallow and a lot to process."

Barnum added that he apologized and embraced Hart before he hugged him. He added that he was not aware the picture was being taken.

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