Twitter users debate Bernie Sanders' civil rights credibility with #BernieSoBlack hashtag

After a group of #BlackLivesMatter protesters disrupted Democratic candidates Gov. Martin O'Malley (MD) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) at Netroots Nation 2015 on Saturday, some activists took to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction with Sanders' response.

By Sunday afternoon, the hashtag #BernieSoBlack was trending, with progressives trading barbs on Twitter and accusing each other of racism, character assassination, censorship, "whitesplaining" and more.

It began as a way of mocking the candidate while trading cultural signifiers.

But then some progressives began to point out some of the real work Sanders has done for racial progress in this country.

And then the usual tears and recriminations followed.

While others just had fun with it.