A driver accused of pushing through protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge and injuring two people as they rallied on the anniversary of George Floyd's death has been arrested.
Police say groups of protesters were marching back to Brooklyn around 10 p.m. Tuesday when a Volkswagen sedan tried to get through the pedestrian traffic. It's unclear exactly at what speed the vehicle was traveling, but the NYPD said it was slow and one person allegedly jumped on top of the hood. The driver kept going for a few blocks before hitting and injuring a cyclist.
When cops tried to pull over the vehicle, the police vehicle's side-view mirror hit another protester. All three victims refused medical attention at the scene, police said.
The driver, who has not been identified, was eventually arrested and charges are pending.
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Earlier in the day, elected officials, including Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, joined the Rev. Al Sharpton in kneeling for 9 minutes, 29 seconds to recognize the murder of Floyd. “As we took a knee, imagine how long that was on a human being’s neck,” Sharpton said. “Never switched knees, just dug in. It’s time we correct policing in this country.”
Activists and demonstrators later gathered with some families of people who had died in interactions with the NYPD at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. They called for defunding the police, holding officers accountable and removing police officers from schools. Following the rally, they set off on a march through Brooklyn streets and through the Brooklyn Bridge where the incident occurred.
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CLARIFICATION: The police's vehicle, not the sedan, injured the third person.
