NYC protesters jumped subway turnstiles and rallied against police over a fare crackdown that's sparked viral videos and outrage
- Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of Brooklyn Friday evening to protest increased policing of the public transit system.
- Police have increased their presence at subway stops as part of an initiative to reduce fare avoidance.
- In the last several weeks, multiple videos have gone viral of police piling on to suspects in stations.
- In one video, multiple individuals can be seen getting punched by NYPD.
- Protesters jumped turnstiles, confronted police with chants, and vandalized buses and buildings.
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Hundreds of protesters flooded the streets and the subways in Downtown Brooklyn Friday night, in response to a recent city initiative to increase police presence and surveillance to prevent fare evasion in New York City's oft-criticized public transportation system.
Videos of the demonstration posted to social media show throngs of people marching, jumping turnstiles, and facing off with groups of police. Behind barricades, protesters shouted "How you spell 'racist'? NYPD!"
Other videos showed protesters vandalizing buildings, street signs, and buses.
The outrage came in response to multiple incidents from the last few weeks involving police officers in the subway, who have ramped up their patrols as an initiative to prevent fare evasion. In the videos that have gone viral, police can be seen piling on to individuals over $2.75 subway fees, among other things. Protesters say the response is not only outsized, but also racist.
Last week, a video went viral of police pointing a gun at a full subway car. The suspect sat calmly as police officers flooded the car and forced him to the ground. Police said the suspect was thought to be armed and ran into the subway from the street, but that no gun was found on him.
In another video, police officers were taped in a full-on fistfight with multiple teenagers at a different subway station. Video shows a brawl between police and a group of teens, and at various points, officers appeared to punch bystanders or people they weren't actively engaging with at the time.
The New York Post reported that Protests began around 7 p.m. and went until around 9 p.m.
- Read more:
- New York subway vigilantes have begun posting official-looking signs that tell riders not to 'snitch' on fare evaders
- Video shows over 10 NYPD officers tackle and arrest man on a subway for fare evasion after unfounded gun scare
- New York City has caught an alleged subway bandit who delayed more than 700 trains by pulling the emergency brake
- 'Inside Edition' confronted suspected subway fare evaders in New York and now people are dragging the video for unnecessarily accosting commuters