BLM protesters crossing Brooklyn Bridge are ‘pepper sprayed’ by cops for blocking traffic
- Dozens of Black Lives Matter protesters were seen clashing with the NYPD on Saturday while marching across the Brooklyn Bridge around 10.30pm
- Dramatic video taken at scene shows a scuffle between police bicycle officers and demonstrators who were ‘hit’ by the bikes and ‘sprayed with pepper spray’
- During the incident, several protesters were given appearance tickets for obstruction of vehicular traffic; no injuries were reported
Dozens of Black Lives Matter protesters were seen clashing with officers of the New York Police Department on Saturday while marching across the Brooklyn Bridge.
The demonstrators were attempting to cross the bridge from the Brooklyn side when police officers blocked their path.
Dramatic footage taken at the scene by photographer Leeroy Johnson shows a scuffle between police bicycle officers and demonstrators.
According to Johnson, multiple protesters were ‘hit with NYPD bikes and sprayed with pepper spray’.
Dozens of Black Lives Matter protesters were seen clashing with officers of the New York Police Department on Saturday while marching across the Brooklyn Bridge
The demonstrators were attempting to cross the bridge from the Brooklyn side when police officers blocked their path
Other footage showed police directing the demonstrators off the roadway of the bridge after they blocked traffic during the protest.
During the incident, several protesters were given appearance tickets for obstruction of vehicular traffic, according to the New York Post.
Police said no injuries were reported during the incident.
Protesters have been demonstrating against multiple police shootings for the last few weeks.
On Tuesday, the celebration of Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict in the death of George Floyd was cut short when a Columbus, Ohio, police officer shot dead a 16-year-old girl.
Ma’Khia Bryant was wielding a knife when she was gunned down by an officer.
The next day, Andrew Brown Jr, 42, was shot dead by police officers in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
Deputy sheriffs tried to serve drug-related search and arrest warrants to Brown when the shooting occurred.
During the incident, several protesters were given appearance tickets for obstruction of vehicular traffic
Protesters were seen confronting police officers on the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday
Other footage showed police directing the demonstrators off the roadway of the bridge after they blocked traffic during the protest
An eyewitness has said Brown was shot dead in his car as he tried to drive away. A car authorities removed from the scene appeared to have multiple bullet holes and a shattered back window.
And before the police shootings of Brown and Bryant, demonstrators had already taken to the streets to protest the killing of Daunte Wright.
The 20-year-old father-of-one was shot dead by a Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, police officer.
Brooklyn Center’s police chief said it appeared from body camera video that the officer who shot Wright used her gun when she meant to use her Taser as Wright struggled with police.
The 26-year veteran, Kim Potter, is charged with second-degree manslaughter. Both she and the chief resigned after the shooting.