DRAMATIC photos have shown the chaos of what initially began as peaceful protesting over the death of George Floyd ultimately devolved into another night of looting and violence in New York.
The 11pm to 5am curfew imposed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio did nothing as police officers and protesters clashed following nearly a week of unrest throughout the city of more than eight million people.
Another night of violence and looting erupted in New York City on Monday amid ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd[/caption]
Dozens of people were seen looting stores throughout Manhattan[/caption]
Hundreds of people rallied in Times Square and Brooklyn on Monday afternoon.
Daytime demonstrations were peaceful but once night fell, midtown Manhattan descended into chaos.
NYPD officers arrested two men at the Macy’s flagship store in Manhattan after the doors were breached, while looters ransacked a Nike store and carried out armloads of clothing.
Storefront windows near the iconic Rockefeller Center were smashed.
De Blasio and Gov Andrew Cuomo said the eruption of violence over the weekend, which included torched police cars and destroyed businesses of all sizes, left them no choice but to impose a curfew.
As looting and violence continued through the night, the mayor extended the citywide curfew into Tuesday and moved the start time up three hours earlier to 8pm.
Two police officers survey the damage of a Duane Reade pharmacy that was broken into[/caption]
Daytime demonstrations began peacefully, as they have for the last several days of protest[/caption]
Protesters held up anti-racism signs and sat peacefully in Central Park[/caption]
Looters ransacked a Nike store in Manhattan and ran out with armfuls of clothing[/caption]
“These protests have power and meaning. But as the night wears on we are seeing groups use them to incite violence and destroy property,” De Blasio tweeted.
“Our first priority is keeping people safe, so I’m extending the curfew to Tuesday. It will begin at 8pm.”
Protesters weren’t the only ones who disagreed with the imposed curfew.
The New York City Liberties Union said it was “deeply problematic” that “our city leaders are imposing a curfew and essentially silencing New Yorkers from expressing their outrage at the racism that permeates the nation.
MOST READ IN NEWS
However, Cuomo did acknowledge that some officers had exacerbated tensions with their actions.
In video shared to social media on Saturday night, two police vehicles were seen plowing through a crowd of demonstrators in Brooklyn, while another video showed a woman being forcefully shoved to the ground unprovoked by an NYPD officer.
Police union president Patrick Lynch said the governor was wrongly blaming the chaos on the cops.
Be First to Comment