NYC police clash with protesters for second straight night

November 6, 2020 Associated Press

New York Police officers arrested organizer Joel Rivera during a weekly "We Choose Freedom" march through the West Village on Thursday. Photo: Seth Wenig/AP

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New York City police tangled with protesters Thursday for the second night in a row, arresting at least a dozen people at a rally that started outside the LGBTQ+ landmark Stonewall Inn.

It wasn’t immediately clear what led to the arrests at the “We Choose Freedom” event, where people carrying rainbow and Black Lives Matter flags had been marching in the street advocating for transgender rights and chanting things like “all cops are bad.”

Demonstrations are held weekly at the Manhattan bar, where patrons famously revolted against a police raid in 1969 in a groundbreaking moment for gay rights. Thursday’s rally drew extra police and media attention amid uncertainty about the result of the presidential election.

Police said there were some scuffles, but nothing like the trash fires and bottle tossing that marred a peaceful march in the city on Wednesday. Officers at Thursday night’s march were also seen shoving people, including journalists and Jumaane Williams, the city’s public advocate.

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams is here, and got shoved back by NYPd on bikes pic.twitter.com/1cqD58cMzC

— Christopher Robbins (@ChristRobbins) November 6, 2020

Williams tweeted that police were aggressively trying to clear the street and appeared like they were setting up for mass arrests.

“We intervened to try and de-escalate and prevent that,” said Williams.

Police made 25 arrests and issued 32 summonses during Wednesday’s protests. Devina Singh, 24, was accused of spitting in an officer’s face.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said officers showed “an amazing amount of restraint” in dealing with protesters, but Singh told Gothamist that she was rammed with a police bike and had her arm broken as officers arrested her.