Unidentified Federal officers in Portland have sparked nationwide outrage after video showed them in military uniforms without badges detaining protesters in unmarked vans. But that didn’t stop New York City police from taking a page from the Portland protest playbook after plainclothes NYPD officers snatched a protester from the street and shoved the demonstrator into in an unmarked van.
Those on the scene captured the arrest on video that quickly went viral after being shared on social media.
The NYPD issued a statement on the video but did not confirm the origin of the officers detaining the protester: “In regard to a video on social media that took place at Second Ave. and 25th Street, a woman taken into custody was wanted for damaging police cameras during five separate criminal incidents in and around City Hall Park. The arresting officers were assaulted with rocks & bottles.”
The protester was later identified by the New York Post as 18-year-old Nikki Stone.
Stone, who is transgender, was reportedly released early Wednesday after being slapped with several unspecified charges.
Watch the incident below:
NYC is taking after Portland – a trans femme protestor was pulled into an unmarked van at the Abolition Park protest – this was at 2nd Ave and 25th Street pic.twitter.com/1PDhSYuK9h
— michelle lh࿊࿊q (@MichelleLhooq) July 28, 2020
