Police also issued five summonses. The NYPD said most of those arrested and given summonses were charged with vandalism, assaulting an officer, unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct and obstructing a government administration.
Photos showed at least one fire burning amid the protests, while a video circulating on Twitter Wednesday morning depicted an incident where a vehicle seemed to drive through a group of police officers. The video initially shows police surrounding the car while an officer declares the gathering unlawful.
“This is the New York City Police Department. This assembly is unlawful. You are ordered to disperse,” a voice can be heard telling the crowd. “If you refuse to leave, you will be arrested for unlawful assembly.”
Meanwhile, several officers are seen approaching the vehicle, while one seems to be trying to open the passenger door. The group steps back, and the person behind the wheel begins to drive slowly forward.
Officers then approach the vehicle again in an apparent effort to break one of its windows. At this point, an additional group of NYPD personnel gathers in front of the car, but it quickly drives away. Whether the driver was affiliated with the protests taking place in the area is unknown.
On Wednesday, an NYPD spokesperson said five officers sustained minor injuries as a result of the incident involving a civilian vehicle. The individual driving the car has not been identified as of Wednesday afternoon, and no one was arrested in connection with the collision. According to the spokesperson, officers originally approached the vehicle “after observing the subject driving through a bike lane,” and directed the driver to stop moving. Investigation into the incident and driver’s identity remains ongoing.
Protests against police violence and racism have taken place in cities across the U.S. since late May, after George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody. Over the months that followed, demonstrators gathered to demand justice for others who have died during interactions with law enforcement, in light of the disproportionate number of Black Americans harmed or killed by police. Protesters have also called for large-scale reforms related to policing and police conduct.
Tuesday’s Brooklyn rallies were in response to the death of Walter Wallace Jr., a 27-year-old Black man who was shot by Philadelphia police one day earlier. Police say Wallace was carrying a knife that he failed to put down after officers told him to do so.
A video of the shooting, shared on social media Monday night, immediately sparked protests in Philadelphia. City police arrested more than two dozen people who were accused of engaging in looting and other criminal acts that night. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw later said that many protesters demonstrated peacefully and that their actions were separate from individuals who committed crimes during the rallies.
This story was updated at 1:02 p.m. to include new information from the NYPD about the incident involving a civilian vehicle driving into a group of officers.
This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. to include new information from the NYPD about arrests, summonses and charges during and after Tuesday night’s protests.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that establishments were looted on Tuesday. Subsequent information from the NYPD confirmed that individuals “committed various acts of vandalism” that affected commercial properties, but looting was not reported.
