NYPD cops seen taking knee in solidarity with George Floyd protesters are accused of thrashing them off-camera
New York Police Department (NYPD) officers reportedly took a knee beside demonstrators on Sunday, May 30, just hours after violent protests broke out over George Floyd's death in Queens and Manhattan, leading to hundreds of arrests. A video posted on Facebook showed at least three police officers kneeling in the street at the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and 165th Street around noon as protesters gathered around them, cheered and thanked them. The officers reportedly then joined the demonstrators in reading the names of black men and women who have died at the hands of US police. Protesters and officers, in the footage, can be seen hugging and shaking hands. One person commented on the clip, saying: "Yes. This is how we unite as one."
The nationwide protests came as four Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd's brutal death were fired on May 26 after a video of the incident went viral on social media. The footage showed Floyd pleading with officers as one of them, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck while the 46-year-old told them to let him stand because he could not breathe. The clip showed Floyd pleading with the officer to allow him to breathe and a few minutes later he became unconscious. Floyd's death has sparked massive protests and unrest in Minneapolis and across the country. Chauvin, 44, was arrested last week on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Later on Sunday, thousands of protesters assimilated in Foley Square in Lower Manhattan chanted "NYPD, take a knee." After many prodded for the officers to show solidarity, at least four of the police officers knelt and were applauded by the crowds gathered. Aleeia Abraham, president of community group BlaQue Resources Network, which helped organize the protest in Queens, said that witnessing officers joining their movement was "very surprising" for her.
"None of us had ever seen anything like that. In that moment, they understood why we were so mad," she told the New York Post. Abraham added that the officers have also been invited to kneel by the pastor of The Excelling Church. "Hopefully, they can set an example for the rest of law enforcement of how to deal with protesters,” she said. The activist, however, stressed on concrete actions to stem police brutality in the country, saying that "the kneeling is nice, it’s a start. But we want action."
Acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee shared the video on Twitter, saying: "YES. THIS is what de-escalation looks like. Trust. Have yet to see this anywhere else in #NYC. We need more of this now, Mr. @NYCMayor."
Multiple videos and images from across the nation of police officers kneeling and showing solidarity were shared on social media on Monday, June 1. However, many protesters claimed that the said officers showing solidarity did it for media ops as they later thrashed them and tear-gassed them off-camera. Social media user @diabliitax, on a post about NYPD officers taking a knee, wrote: "They beat the living shit out of us one hour after this."
While another Twitter user talking about the Dallas Police Department, wrote: "The head of the DPD knelt with us then 10 minutes later authorized tear gas. F**k the performances." Another wrote: "Same thing happened here in Wilmington NC they did it long enough to get photos taken for the media to put a positive spin on it then open fired."