Police Shut Down City Without Warning, Rough Up Peaceful Protestors

Police cracked down violently on peaceful protesters Wednesday and Thursday night. Essential workers such as medical personnel and delivery people were unable to get through barricades, as police without prior warning shut down bridges, subway stations and bike share as early as 6 p.m. Thursday night, stranding citizens.

White shirt office tells me “we gave you a chance to leave.” I inform him curfew doesn’t apply to me, he charges me and says “you got a problem? I’ll take your fucking press pass.”

— Ben Verde (@verde_nyc) June 5, 2020

Tonight the NYPD hit a protester walking his bike and journalist @macfathom (also with a bike) with batons, knocking him over twice, completely unprovoked. The hoarse voice screaming “he’s press” is me pic.twitter.com/TVAjawRIO3

— johnknefel (@johnknefel) June 5, 2020

Protesters were unable to access legal help, arrests appear likely to spread the virus, and the police are using yellow cabs for undercover. Mayor de Blasio is besieged from all quarters and appears to have lost control over the police, leading to speculation some in the NYPD may be staging their own counter protest and ignoring looters.

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#westandinsolidarity

A post shared by Saraghina Bakery (@saraghinabakery) on Jun 5, 2020 at 6:10am PDT

Restaurants, groceries and other essential services may not be available today and over the weekend, and the unstable situation does not bode well for public safety and Monday’s planned reopening.

A rally to protest the death of Jamel Floyd in Sunset Park proceeded peacefully, and a group of protesters on Atlantic Avenue that included City Council members dispersed without incident at the request of the police.

The family of #JamelFloyd speak at the rally to demand justice for their son. This system is broken. We’re gonna fight like hell for justice! #JusticeForJamel #BlackLivesMatter #ShutDownMDC #FreeThemAll pic.twitter.com/BSpUuUFpuF

— Murad Awawdeh (@HeyItsMurad) June 4, 2020

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They say it takes a community to raise a child. This time, it’s going to take the children to raise the community. They are ready. Let them lead. #Repost @knomadsounds with @make_repost ・・・ What’s his name? Jamel Floyd! I stand with the family of #jamelfloyd , a 35 year old black man that was killed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in #sunsetpark #brooklyn yesterday. He was 5 months away from going home. In fact, most inmates at #MDC are either pre-trial or going home soon. I protested there last year when inmates lost heat and electricity for days on end, and now a man has died at the hands of officers there. This young girl, Winter Amor Rogers, is the voice of the next generation. Let’s put in work and make this world a better place for them! There will be another event in support tomorrow night at 5pm, meeting at 44th street and 6th Avenue in Sunset Park. Thanks to @untilfreedom @lsarsour @brad.lander @menchaca @rep_velazquez and other leaders for organizing the one tonight. #blacklivesmatter #sayhisname #ivehadenough #nojusticenopeace #icantbreathe #justiceforjamel #justiceforgeorgefloyd #justiceforbreonnataylor #brooklyn #newyork #newyorkprotest #brooklynprotest

A post shared by ELO SKY▪️ANGELO PINTO (@angelo_pinto_) on Jun 4, 2020 at 5:39pm PDT

Both in and outside of New York City, an ongoing stream of witness videos of violent police attacks since the protests began, including on the weak and infirm such as a homeless man in Los Angeles and an elderly man in Buffalo, N.Y., have shocked the nation.