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Padma Lakshmi slams NYPD cops for 'attacking peaceful protesters', Internet calls the act 'disturbing'

'Who is this protecting??? This is unacceptable,' Lakshmi tweeted

A Black Lives Matters protest at Washington Square Park quickly escalated on Saturday, September 27, after NYPD members surrounded the demonstrators. Videos of the incident quickly went viral on Internet and sharing one of the clips, 'Bravo's 'Top Chef' host Padma Lakshmi slammed the police and called the act "unacceptable".

"The NYPD charged at and attacked peaceful protesters & pedestrians in the West Village tonight on 10th and Hudson. Who is this protecting??? This is unacceptable," she wrote on Twitter, while sharing an on-scene video.

According to an NBC New York report, "officers of the NYPD rushed protesters near Hudson Street and W 10th Street after reportedly raiding an art protest in nearby Washington Square Park. The group demonstrating in the park had marched to the 6th Precinct to protest after officers seized their music equipment." A police spokesperson confirmed "multiple" arrests while a protester at the scene said that number was likely in the "dozens." The video of the arrests showed officers rush the protesters standing on the sidewalk area of the road amid pedestrians.

NBC New York also reported that an electronic message was delivered seconds before police rushed across the empty street to arrest the protesters. The NYPD spokesperson said the arrests were for disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration but could not provide specific details about what actions were taken by those arrested that constituted obstruction or why the music equipment was confiscated.

“Just dancing, that’s all we were doing. They came out of nowhere,” one protester told CBS2. “We were free, dancing in the streets, alleviating our pain. We are in pain every single day, and they can’t even let us have that,” another protester told CBS2.

As soon as the video of the incident went viral people starting slamming NYPD as one Internet use said, "Tonight the NYPD raided an art protest and confiscated DJ equipment. The group then marched to the 6th precinct to collect it. So the NYPD attacked and arrested protesters and even random people in front of diners eating outside in the West Village." While another one slammed them and said, "This is cops wanting to use their vicious weapons and body armor on innocents. It’s simple. America is totally totalitarian completely fu**ed. This is every day. They don’t care that you have film now."

Senator Brad Hoylman tweeted, "My office is in contact with the NYPD about the use of force on New Yorkers on 10th and Hudson tonight. But we’re exhausted of seeing video after video, and hearing from constituents in person, of inexplicable escalations that undermine an already fragile trust." Jounalist Rebecca Fishbein wrote, "I’m at 10th and Hudson. Dozens of cops just charged at pedestrians," to which Journalist Andew Joseph replied, by sharing the video. One Internet user found the act "disturbing" as she said, "Deeply disturbing. NYPD attacks pedestrians on a peaceful West Village Saturday night, 10th/Hudson. Just... attacks. People are sitting on the sidewalk eating dinner while passersby are getting rushed out of nowhere by cops."

Another one who was present at the spot said, "When we arrived there was a massive crowd of NYPD officers lining the east side of Hudson at 10th. More and more people started stopping on the sidewalk to see what’s happening (including me and my two friends). An automated message said not the block the streets or sidewalks." She added, "All of the sudden the cops charged at people on the sidewalk and the only thing I can think of to describe it was like an army in an old timey movie advancing. My friends and I ran down the sidewalk and pushed ourselves up against the wall of a restaurant next to table of diners."