An 18-year-old trans girl who organized a peaceful protest was just kidnapped by NYPD officers in an unmarked van. She's allegedly suspected of... wait for it... putting stickers on police cameras? #whereisnikki, @NYCMayor? We demand her immediate release.
The NYPD's explanation does not fit with what's shown in multiple videos recorded by eyewitnesses--videos which don't show any bottles, rocks, or police identifying themselves in any way before grabbing Nikki off the street. Also: "damaging" with stickers?
Let's be clear about one thing, though: the NYPD's warrant squad has operated in this manner for years, often targeting unhoused people like Nikki in "raids," grabbing them off the street or in shelter beds and throwing them in vans vice.com/en_us/article/…
Good reminder, thanks: NYC voters can and should demand the release of arrested people who've had excessive force used against them for trivial or specious charges. Contact your council member: laws.council.nyc.gov/council-member…
Seen it work multiple times.
Seen it work multiple times.
This is all in the warrant squad playbook, since they drive up their arrest stats by terror-grabbing people on trivial charges like this, then doing it all over again the next month. There’s no point except quotas and terrorizing vulnerable people.
Make no mistake, it’s brutal intimidation theater. Do you need a half-dozen “bust the door down, tackle the felons” Warrant Operator Bros with a cordon of bike police to arrest one girl with stickers? Of course not. It’s pure “cross our line, we go apeshit on you” thuggery.
Update: the local council member is on the case and hopefully Nikki will be released soon. It took all those tough guys to give her a desk appearance ticket for sticker vandalism.
Note that this is why many voices must demand a release in a case of jackbooted intimidation like this: some elected officials do give enough of a shit to join in the demand, and pressure law enforcement to let up
None of the nit pickers flooding my mentions will read this far, but for the record: an “arrest” requires proper arrest procedure including law enforcement identifying themselves so that people can distinguish it from a random assault.
It’s also lovely how concerned people are about the 18,000 surveillance cameras in NYC and how we’d all be dead or raped without them, like we were in the old days. Total Surveillance is 1000% necessary for peace and order right? That’s why stickering is a VIOLENT CRIME oh yeah.
Finally, why did I mention Nikki being trans in the original tweet? It’s in the linked tweet, and obvious to the followers I originally tweeted to. Being trans puts her vastly more at risk in the jail system, as local legal advocates know very well.
Update again: she was charged with graffiti and criminal mischief for writing on cameras, not stickering as was reported in the thread atop this thread. Not any destruction of property. Just graffiti that apparently required the warrant squad terrorizing a peaceful march. 
Nikki is through processing / desk ticket and awaiting release to friends outside the precinct. For all the people wondering if she’s been located: yes. For all the people saying “she’s in jail!” or yelling that we can’t demand her release& change: nope
Final update: Nikki has been released.
She still does not have a place to live, but friends meeting her at the precinct have set up a GoFundMe for her: gofundme.com/f/housing-for-…
She still does not have a place to live, but friends meeting her at the precinct have set up a GoFundMe for her: gofundme.com/f/housing-for-…
