Free Tibet, March 14, 2008, United Nations
Filed Under (Civil Liberties Video) by webmaster on 03-31-2008
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Free Tibet, March 14, 2008, United NationsPeaceful walk on sidewalk of 42nd street attacked by some violent and threatening police that sparks a police melee.That day it was reported that dozens of Tibetans were killed in Lhasa. freetibet.org’I'll kill you!’ – Cops caught on video at UN Tibet protestBY MICHAEL WHITE AND TINA MOORE DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERSUpdated Friday, March 28th 2008, 12:33 AMRoca/NewsProtestors at a Free Tibet rally in front of the United Nations on March 14. Cops were caught on video apparently striking a man who was lying on the ground and threatening to kill two people at a Free Tibet rally in front of the United Nations this month.”Look at these cops, clubbing people in front of the UN, unbelievable,” an unidentified narrator shouts in the video posted at Gotham.com yesterday.The amateur video of the March 14 demonstration appears to show one cop striking a protester with a nightstick repeatedly as the man lies on the ground.Another cop can be seen swinging at a man, but apparently missing.The cameraman, who yells out the names of cops wielding nightsticks as demonstrators march toward the UN, also apparently recorded a cop threatening to kill two people.”I’ll kill you!” a cop can be heard in the video. “I’ll f—— kill you! What did I tell you guys? What did I tell you?”The cop then appears to push one of the men onto a sidewalk. Another cop can be seen shoving protesters.”While the tape shows a chaotic scene, nothing on it remotely justifies a threat to kill protesters and nothing justifies repeated hitting,” Christopher Dunn, the New York Civil Liberties Union’s associate legal director, said. “This is a blatant example of excessive force and the NYPD should investigate.”NYPD officials said the protesters were resisting arrest and insisted the tape does not clearly show anyone being struck.”Contrary to what the narrator is saying, nobody is being beaten by the police,” a police spokesman said. “What is visible, though the video is poor quality, is people resisting arrest.”Six protesters were charged with disorderly conduct and a seventh with assaulting a cop.Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne said it was not clear that the officer had threatened the two demonstrators. Browne also said the video did not clearly show a protester being hit, only an officer swinging repeatedly toward the ground.Smacking sounds can be heard after the weapon descends.Browne said he notified the Internal Affairs Bureau after the Daily News asked him about the video. The IAB said the Civilian Review Complaint Board had the case, Browne said.The board investigates complaints and forwards those it can substantiate to the NYPD with recommendations for discipline. Author: biennialist |
