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"We have to do something better," de Blasio says, as if he didn't have the power to act differently during the protests. A thread on the protests and the mayor's response. https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/1339909095223144450
During a week of absolute chaos, where the NYPD relentlessly beat protesters and suppressed First Amendment rights, the mayor backed the police.
Officer Vincent D’Andraia violently shoved Dounya Zayer. I saw her having a seizure. I also saw police freely pepper spray people and beat people with batons. I watched police drive through protesters and drag people out of crowds, wrestling them to the ground.
And then I watched the mayor defend those police, saying "It is inappropriate for protestors to surround a police vehicle and threaten police officers."
He said that police showed "restraint" after a weekend of police beating New York's residents. https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/05/31/de-blasio-says-he-saw-a-lot-of-restraint-by-nypd-amid-george-floyd-protests-pledges-investigations-into-specific-incidents/
He said that police showed "restraint" after a weekend of police beating New York's residents. https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/05/31/de-blasio-says-he-saw-a-lot-of-restraint-by-nypd-amid-george-floyd-protests-pledges-investigations-into-specific-incidents/
The abuses reached a crescendo at Mott Haven. The police kettled protesters before curfew, preventing the, from leaving, then beat and pepper sprayed those unable to leave. Human Rights Watch later concluded the NYPD had violated human rights law. https://www.thecity.nyc/2020/9/30/21495416/nypd-bronx-protest-response-violated-human-rights-watchdog-charges
A city worker, who was unable to get home before curfew and was arrested, spent more than a week in jail. De Blasio's own staff were caught in the kettle. So were NLG legal observers. https://gothamist.com/news/bronx-protest-police-brutality-city-hall-staff-caught-kettle-de-blasio
When he was asked about the NYPD's tactics at Mott Haven, this is what he told @jangelooff.
There's too much to encapsulate in a thread. Journalists arrested. Badge numbers covered. Police without masks yelling in the faces of protesters during a pandemic. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/14/nyregion/nypd-george-floyd-protests.html
In July, when plainclothes police dragged a protester off the street, a la Portland feds, here's what de Blasio said
And then police mobilized a helicopter and K-9 units to swarm the apartment of a BLM organizer, even though cops didn't have a warrant https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/07/nyregion/nypd-derrick-ingram-protester.html
The next month, police crushed a demonstration by anti-ICE protesters. https://gothamist.com/news/nypd-uses-overwhelming-force-arrest-small-group-abolish-ice-protesters-lower-manhattan
Later in September, they swarmed a handful of protesters. https://twitter.com/bfishbfish/status/1310015519685324800
If anything, protesters say, the police have become more aggressive. https://www.thecity.nyc/2020/11/6/21553674/de-blasio-cites-cops-light-touch-but-some-protesters-charge-increased-brutality
During his press conference today, de Blasio talked about violence from a few protesters and bad decisions. But when asked about accountability, he said "hold all of us accountable. It starts with me and the commissioner."
He said the way to enact change is to implement the report's recommendations.
But https://twitter.com/JennBorchetta/status/1339945305245159424
But https://twitter.com/JennBorchetta/status/1339945305245159424
The mayor repeatedly talked about violence and looting -- the same excuses that were trotted out around the country to justify aggressive policing and undermine the legitimacy of the anger expressed in the protests.
Here's how de Blasio responded to a question about whether NYPD leadership or commanders would be reprimanded or disciplined for how they handled the protests.
He said New Yorkers should read the report and that...
He said New Yorkers should read the report and that...
"We're definitely gonna look at actions of individual commanders down to the precinct level. But I think it's fair to say that what's being pointed out here is not so much time for retribution, honestly, but time for change."
He continued "This is not to me about should someone be fired. This is about we all have to learn from it. We all have to embrace the changes."
In short, few organizations think that's going to happen. Rights monitors say this mea culpa will change nothing. https://twitter.com/jangelooff/status/1339978392695914497
