Anti-police brutality protests spread from Baltimore to New York City on Wednesday afternoon with hundreds of demonstrators gathering in Manhattan’s Union Square.
Thousands more lined sidewalks and marched throughout the city in solidarity with demonstrations in Baltimore. Many held signs calling for justice in the case of Freddie Gray, whose death in the custody of Baltimore police last week has provoked daily protests and on Monday a riot.
Video and photographs of arrests quickly filled the hashtag #NYC2Baltimore on Twitter as the New York Police Department grabbed people on the street and off sidewalks. Among those arrested was a Vice News reporter, according to photographer Jenna Pope.
Thousands now packed into Union Square for #blacklivesmatter demonstration @DNAinfo pic.twitter.com/h7bLXB9kju
— Ben Fractenberg (@fractenberg) April 29, 2015
NYPD van full of peaceful protesters including @NLGnews legal observer at Union Sq. #BaltimoreUprising solidarity NYC pic.twitter.com/3TCMmKEc5K
— Keegan Stephan (@KeeganNYC) April 30, 2015
NYC: Multiple people being arrested, 1 NYPD Officer injured being treated by EMS. #BaltimoreRiots #NYC pic.twitter.com/EEyvOBBoQT
— NYScanner (@nyscanner) April 29, 2015
Arrests happening now on 17th near Union Square. Legal observer says at least 20. #BlackLivesMatter #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/7Bf19LVDZY
— Brian Ries (@moneyries) April 29, 2015
Riot cops are not letting us march #NYC2Baltimore pic.twitter.com/vTd6U6NEkx
— Renata Pumarol (@RenataPumarol) April 29, 2015
The protest at Union Square was initially peaceful, but as protesters began marching west they were confronted by NYPD officers in riot gear. Police officials had reportedly warned protest organizers that disruptions to traffic would not be tolerated.
Wednesday night’s protest was organized by Millions March NYC, the group who in December drew between 20,000 and 50,000 people and temporarily shut down the Brooklyn Bridge in a protest related to the choking death of Eric Garner at the hands of the police.
Still more being loaded into police vans here on 17th near Union Square, NYC #BlackLivesMatter #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/Fki34kUTPb
— Brian Ries (@moneyries) April 29, 2015
A @vicenews photographer was just arrested. Had to grab his camera off the ground. #NYC2Baltimore #FreddieGray
— Miki Pope (@MikiTakesPhotos) April 29, 2015
Traffic is at a complete stop along much of 7th Ave right now. #NYC2Baltimore #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/6UHAdFa1qN
— Miki Pope (@MikiTakesPhotos) April 30, 2015
At press time, as many as 30 protesters were in police custody according to online reports from journalists at the scene of the demonstration. The crowd chanted “the whole world is watching” as the arrested were loaded into police vans.
Photo via Annette Bernhardt/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
