Police officers clashed with protesters marching for a full vote count in the 2020 presidential election near Washington Square Park on Wednesday night in encounters that seemed to grow increasingly aggressive as the night progressed. Twenty-five were charged out of 57 arrested during the demonstrations.
The march was an offshoot from an earlier #ProtectTheResults protest that began in the afternoon outside the New York Public Library. The marchers headed south from the library to Washington Square Park after nightfall, joining with other demonstrators demanding that President Trump and his supporters allow the ongoing vote count to proceed unimpeded.
Up to 500 individuals rallied at Washington Square Park, according to NYC Protest Updates 2020, a Twitter account of New York journalists following demonstrations across the city. A large police presence, including a helicopter hovering overhead, monitored the situation.
But not long after, the clashes began as the crowd marched through Greenwich Village — and hundreds of NYPD officers tried to keep protesters out of the streets.
Bike-bound officers made their way into the crowd at the corner of Christopher Street and Greenwich Avenue, with marchers walking through the street. “Start grabbing them, they’re collars,” one officer allegedly said in a Twitter video.
NYPD arresting protestors from Wash Sq after forcing their way into crowd at Christopher St & Greenwich.
“Start grabbing them, they’re collars,” an officer shouts.
LRAD is now deployed. https://t.co/9EB9GpHADs pic.twitter.com/woFvsqab2m
— PRO_NYC (@protest_nyc) November 5, 2020
The clashes grew more tense and violent along 7th Avenue near Leroy Street in the West Village, where officers apparently “kettled” the protesters, trapping them in a confined area. One officer took down a man, who fell over a city garbage can and onto the sidewalk. Another officer then dragged that individual into the street as other officers engaged with protesters.
“You’re on camera,” one man shouts. “The whole world is watching!”
https://twitter.com/protest_nyc/status/1324157520945053696
NYPD scanners describing the group at Leroy and 7th as “orderly,” but still calling for officers to exit their vans and make more arrests. pic.twitter.com/8unWQS9qRQ
— PRO_NYC (@protest_nyc) November 5, 2020
As the unrest occurred, some protesters took to setting trash fires in the West Village.
Protestors and the NYPD continue to clash tonight in the West Village. After waves of aggressive arrests, reportedly for marching in the street, protestors begin to light a couple trash fires. pic.twitter.com/gBibFm6FjP
— PRO_NYC (@protest_nyc) November 5, 2020
More arrests were made at the corner of 5th Avenue and 8th Street, where NYPD officers apparently kettled another group of marchers. Police eventually broke the blockade and allowed demonstrators to move on peacefully.
A third standoff occurred back at Washington Square Park just before 9 p.m., where officers cornered protesters and urged them to leave in order to avoid arrest.
Another kettle forming at Washington Square Park North, while some organizers urge protestors to disperse the park in groups to avoid arrest. pic.twitter.com/lWYyQtp0pm
— PRO_NYC (@protest_nyc) November 5, 2020
https://twitter.com/protest_nyc/status/1324164030882263042
Fifty-seven arrests were made during protests in Manhattan — 25 whom were held in custody and another 32 issued summonses for their behavior.
The NYPD identified four individuals arrested for more serious offenses committed during the protests on Wednesday night.
Devina Singh, 24, of Schnwenksville, PA was arrested for allegedly spitting in an officer’s face, NYPD sources said. She was booked for obstructing governmental administration, harassment and violation of a local law.
Police said that William Beaudoin, 23, of Brooklyn was charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and harassment for allegedly punching a captain in the face. A second individual, Rachel R. Menard, 23, also of Brooklyn, was taken into custody on assault and obstructing governmental administration charges for allegedly interfering in Beaudoin’s arrest and punching an NYPD chief in the head, law enforcement sources noted.
Finally, police sources said, Thomas J. Beemer, 35, of Brooklyn was cuffed on criminal mischief charges for allegedly breaking windows at a commercial location.
Meanwhile, in nearby SoHo, the streets were largely peaceful only after the NYPD barricaded off a number of blocks through the area. Traffic was blocked off in many locations, and residents were questioned about whether they lived in the neighborhood.
With reporting by Tequila Minsky
