CW: Police violence
On May 2 in East Harlem, NYPD officers arrested 20 children & young men for Loitering, after throwing them up against a gate & searching them.
I spoke to @tiffmcfddn, a family member of one of the young people arrested, about exactly what went down.
On May 2 in East Harlem, NYPD officers arrested 20 children & young men for Loitering, after throwing them up against a gate & searching them.
I spoke to @tiffmcfddn, a family member of one of the young people arrested, about exactly what went down.
In the early evening, NYPD, in marked and unmarked police cars, rolled up on people who were just hanging out in separate small groups, in the vicinity of 117th St and Park Ave. They jumped out and ordered everybody up against the gate.
They divided the groups into children and adults.
They made the children put their hands above their heads and kneel in the dirt.
They took the adults around the corner and cuffed them.
They patted everyone down.
They made the children put their hands above their heads and kneel in the dirt.
They took the adults around the corner and cuffed them.
They patted everyone down.
No one knew why they were being held, only that these sorts of "sweeps" are common in East Harlem.
When one child said that he did not want to kneel in the dirt and that he knew he had rights, the police sergeant (in the white shirt) said, oh you know your rights, cuff them all.
When one child said that he did not want to kneel in the dirt and that he knew he had rights, the police sergeant (in the white shirt) said, oh you know your rights, cuff them all.
At that point, everyone - children and adults - were taken to the 25th precinct. They were held until between 2AM and 4AM the next day. No one was allowed a phone call. At least one person was strip searched.
While at the precinct, one of the young people asked for a mask. He was refused. One of the cops said, don't you know we gave you coronavirus already.
Approx 15 of the people arrested were given desk appearance tickets, meaning they were released from the precinct to return to court in a few months to be arraigned on the pending charges.
The remaining 5 were taken to central booking to be arraigned the next day.
The remaining 5 were taken to central booking to be arraigned the next day.
The charges? Loitering and, in some cases, Gambling. Yes gambling. Apparently a group of people had been playing a dice game nearby. But none of those people had actually been among the 20 people arrested.
Of the five people taken to central booking, one was on parole and is now being held on Rikers Island on a parole violation. The others were released (one after being held two days).
I had seen part of this video shared on Twitter a week or so ago and didn't share because I didn't have any background information and I actually wasn't sure if it was current because none of the cops were wearing masks (I should know better).
I am so glad to share it now because it shows it really doesn't matter if @NYCMayor stops NYPD from enforcing social distancing. NYPD will continue to police the way they have always policed. This wasn't as far as I understand even a social distancing stop.
Oh and meanwhile, just a few blocks away on the Upper East side, dozens of White people are happily congregating and enjoying cocktails on 2nd and 3rd Avenues.
Which isn't just a violation of social distancing regulations, but also open container laws. nypost.com/2020/05/16/peo…
Which isn't just a violation of social distancing regulations, but also open container laws. nypost.com/2020/05/16/peo…
