NEW YORK (WPIX) — Nineteen people, including three juveniles, were arrested when protesters clashed with New York Police officers during a pro-Palestine rally in Brooklyn Saturday, police said.
The demonstrators were charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and failure to use a sidewalk, according to an NYPD spokesman.
More than 5,000 people waved flags and chanted through the streets of Bay Ridge to support Palestine, the partially recognized sovereign state. Palestine is not a country recognized by the United States or the United Nations.
Police said they made an announcement ordering people to clear the roads before officers formed a human barricade.
In one video obtained by NewsNation affiliate WPIX, the situation appeared to turn violent between NYPD officers and protesters. Police said officers were struck with eggs, bottles, and fireworks during the protest.
“During the course of a planned protest for which a permit was not attained, officers encountered a mostly peaceful crowd. Some demonstrators within the crowd chose to act in a combative and aggressive manner. Officers were pushed, shoved, and struck by some demonstrators within the crowd after the LRAD (long-range acoustic device) device was utilized,” a spokesperson for the NYPD said.
“Officers were struck with flying debris which included eggs, fireworks, and bottles. Officers responded to this disruptive behavior and attempted to regain order by taking into custody those responsible for these actions. In the course of doing so, the officer seen in the video is reacting to active resistance by criminals within the crowd. The NYPD encourages peaceful protests but will not condone our officers being subjected to any form of violence.”