Anti-cop protesters got into a tense standoff with police near City Hall early Tuesday, as lawmakers near a vote on the budget — and weigh steep cuts to the NYPD.
Video posted around 5:45 a.m. shows a crowd of protesters on one side of the street while dozens of cops face them on the other.
“At #OccupyCityHall cops are trying to arrest us for being on the sidewalk on the morning on the budget vote,” the video caption says. “NYC get here now!!!”
Video posted about 15 minutes later shows officers with batons pushing back some demonstrators.
“You are violent!” a woman can be heard claiming. “You are hurting us!”
“Let go of my baton!” a cop is heard demanding.
Tensions came to a head when protesters became enraged as police removed barricades they had set up, surrounding the park, videos show.
As some officers move the barricades, others can be seen tussling with a man and attempting to cuff him on the ground, as onlookers scream, “Let him go!” according to a clip posted by PIX 11 reporter Anthony DiLorenzo.
Here’s the moment when things came to a boiling point. NYPD removing barricades closing off park behind city hall, which has been occupied by a round the clock sit-in amid demands to #DefundTheNYPD since last Tuesday. @PIX11News @VOCALNewYork pic.twitter.com/rolYObmokg
— Anthony DiLorenzo (@ADiLorenzoTV) June 30, 2020
A clip posted earlier in the morning shows another standoff in front of City Hall, as the protesters clap and chant, “NYPD, back up!”
Cops said that an 18-year-old man was taken into custody for graffiti on a statue outside 31 Chambers Street, the Surrogate’s Courthouse, around 2:40 a.m.
Graffitied messages included, “ALL COPS LIE,” “We’re taking what we deserve,” and “You f–k ass cops are getting abolished,” video shows.
COURT VANDALISM: 31 Chambers Street, the Surrogate’s Courthouse was covered in anti-police graffiti overnight. It’s adjacent to the #OccupyCityHall camp. @PIX11Newspic.twitter.com/krRgljBiC4
— Anthony DiLorenzo (@ADiLorenzoTV) June 30, 2020
A 20-year-old man was taken into custody about three hours later for punching a male officer multiple times in the head, according to cops.
Both were not immediately charged.
