According to a series of videos recorded by James Porter at the Innovate Indiana conference this afternoon, he was confronted by police who had been called to the Hulman Center in response to a report of a “suspicous person.”

Porter told THVN that he was invited to the conference through his participation in a United Way program called the African-American Board Leadership Institute (AABLI).

The United Way’s website states that the goal of the AABLI program is to, “increase the number and broaden the participation of African Americans in leadership roles in the Wabash Valley.

Porter stated that during the event he spoke with members of the catering staff and a table of attendees from Thrive West Central Indiana, when he was approached by someone from the conference and asked to take a seat.

Then after leaving his seat and walking to the restroom he was confronted by police officers who, according to video recordings, told Porter that someone from Thrive had called them in response to his actions.

Ryan Keller, CEO of Thrive, was listed as a panelist for the event on the Indiana Business Journal’s website, and his bio describes Thrive as an organization, “building age-friendly communities, improving the quality of life, promoting population growth, and increasing the per capita personal income throughout West Central Indiana.”

Porter reported that the police officers told him he could stay as long as he stayed at his table. In response Porter chose to leave the event, and is planning to host a listening session for those in the community who have experienced similar circumstances.