At least six protesters were arrested during a meandering anti-capitalist march around the East Village as part of today's series of May Day demonstrations and rallies across the city. Four of the arrests occurred in front of Manhattan Comprehensive High School on Second Avenue, as the commanding officer of the East Village's 9th Precinct, Deputy Inspector John Cappelmann, began chasing a protester clad in all black and led a violent tussle that involved a half-dozen or so officers, shouting expletives and using their elbows to force the heads of the protesters to the pavement. "I'm suing your ass!" one protester shouted shortly before he was led into the police wagon.
A spokeswoman at the NYPD's press office said she could not confirm the number of protesters arrested. Here is a brief video of the arrests taking place on Second Avenue.
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The march began peacefully in Tompkins Square Park, as around 100 demonstrators, along with at least 20 members of the media, gathered to commemorate International Worker's Day, and protest against "statism, capitalism and all forms of oppression."
Fatima Shadidi, who works with the homeless at the Maryhouse Catholic soup kitchen and hospitality house on East 3rd, said that she attends these sort of events because they "help to vocalize a lot of the issues we deal with. They help to build community, and I'm very much in support of strengthening communities."
The protesters began marching north on Avenue A shortly before 2 p.m., turning to run down wrong way streets, carrying banners and shouting slogans as lines of NYPD scooters pursued them. At Avenue C and 13th Street, a man who identified himself as Jared Bryan, ran out in front of one of the officers on a scooter, and moments later was taken into custody.
"My sister is a claims adjuster for JP Morgan Chase," Bryan said as he was being led away. "My cousins work for Goldman Sachs. They're all scumbags."
One of Bryan's arresting officers declined to say what the charges were. "I don't give a fuck if that says you're press get the fuck out of here," Officer Viviano told me, referring to my press credentials.
A second protester was arrested in the middle of the street. The march then made its way up 14th Street, turning on Second Avenue, when the second series of arrests occurred. NYPD vans blocked traffic as an FDNY EMS vehicle arrived on scene. Several protesters claimed that one of the arrestees was injured. An FDNY spokesman could not confirm whether EMS treated any protesters or policemen.
Protesters, followed by at least 100 NYPD officers on scooters, in vans, and on foot, then marched to Union Square without incident.
A permitted march from Union Square to City Hall in commemoration of May Day was scheduled to happen at 4:30 p.m., with a rally to be held afterwards. More May Day information here.
