Jump to content

Black Lives Matter protests in New York City

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

George Floyd protest in Grand Army Plaza in May 2020

New York City has been the site of many Black Lives Matter protests in response to incidents of police brutality and racially motivated violence against black people. The Black Lives Matter movement began as a hashtag after the shooting death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin, and became nationally recognized for street demonstrations following the 2014 deaths of two African Americans, Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Garner was killed in the Staten Island borough of New York City, leading to protests, demonstrations, and work towards changes in policing and the law. Following the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota in 2020, the global response included extensive protests in New York City, and several subsequent changes to policy.

Background

[edit]

The Black Lives Matter movement began in 2013 at the end of the trial of George Zimmerman for the shooting death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin. It began has a hashtag in response to the "not guilty" verdict, and soon after appeared on a banner in a protest march in California.[1] A year later, the phrase and the movement surrounding it came to national attention following the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the killing of Eric Garner on Staten Island, New York.[1]

There is a long history of civil unrest in New York City related to race and policing preceding the coalescing of Black Lives Matter, and the New York Police Department has been the subject of frequent criticism for its treatment of black citizens, including use of racial profiling, its stop-and-frisk program, and the use of mass arrests and other aggressive tactics against protesters.[2] There have been several cases of controversial use of force which attracted national attention, such as the shootings of Clifford Glover, Sean Bell, Eleanor Bumpurs, Gidone Busch, Amadou Diallo, Ramarley Graham, and Timothy Stansbury.[3]

Protests

[edit]

Eric Garner (2014)

[edit]

On July 17, 2014, New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers approached Eric Garner on suspicion of selling single cigarettes without tax stamps. Garner denied selling cigarettes and told police he was tired of being harassed. Officers attempted to arrest Garner, and when Garner pulled his arms away, officer Daniel Pantaleo placed his arm around Garner's neck, using a prohibited chokehold, and wrestled him to the ground. As multiple police subdued him, Garner repeated the words "I can't breathe" 11 times while lying face down on the sidewalk. He eventually lost conscious and remained on the sidewalk for seven minutes while officers waiting for an ambulance. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital an hour later.[4][5] The medical examiner ruled Garner's death a homicide resulting from "[compression] of neck, compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police."[6] Video footage of the event circulated widely on social media and in news media.[7]

The first public event protesting Garner's death was organized by Al Sharpton in Harlem. Joined by Garner's wife and mother, Sharpton condemned the actions of the officers involved and called for an investigation.[8] At the Harlem event and at a protest in Staten Island the same day, he highlighted the use of a chokehold, which is not allowed by the NYPD, as well as the lack of response to a person repeatedly telling police that "I can't breathe".[8] Sharpton also addressed attendees at Garner's funeral on July 23, calling for consequences for the officers involved.[9] On July 29, WalkRunFly, a company formed by Tony Award winners Warren Adams and Brandon Victor Dixon, created a guerrilla theater event in Times Square whereby a flashmob led by actor Daniel J. Watts gathered outside NYPD Headquarters to give a protest performance.[10][11] Sharpton led another march on August 23 on Staten Island, joined by an estimated 2,500 protesters.[12][13]

On December 4, 2014, a grand jury decided not to indict Pantaleo, leading to public backlash, protests, and rallies in New York and nationally. The decision came less than two weeks after another grand jury in Missouri decided not to indict the officer who shot Michael Brown.[14] Thousands protested the Pantaleo decision in New York City, chanting Garner's last words, "I can't breathe," which became a common rallying cry at Black Lives Matter events throughout the Eric Garner protests and other Black Lives Matter events over the years.[15][14][16] Mayor Bill de Blasio gave a press conference explaining the importance of the phrase "Black Lives Matter" and describing how he had to talk to his son about possible dangers when engaging with police.[14][15] A large protest gathered in Manhattan's Foley Square and crossed the Brooklyn Bridge while another started in Harlem. Groups blocked traffic on major thoroughfares like the West Side Highway.[15] Overnight protests which began on the 4th led to more than 223 arrests, largely for disorderly conduct or refusal to clear the streets.[17] More than 25,000 people convened in Manhattan on December 13 for Millions March NYC, starting at Washington Square Park and marching towards 34th Street.[16][18][19] Families of unarmed black men killed by police led the march, including the families of Sean Bell and Ramarley Graham.[18] The march later traveled over Brooklyn Bridge and later to police headquarters in Lower Manhattan, where there were conflicts between protesters and police.[18]

Akai Gurley (2014–2016)

[edit]

On November 20, 2014, two police officers were patrolling unlit stairwells in the Louis H. Pink Houses of East New York. One of them, officer Peter Liang, had his weapon drawn. When Akai Gurley and his girlfriend entered the stairwell beneath them, Liang fired his weapon. The bullet ricocheted off a wall and fatally struck Gurley in the chest. Liang was initially charged with manslaughter, which was reduced to criminally negligent homicide, resulting in probation and community service.[20] In addition to Black Lives Matter protesters, upon the initial indictment of a Hong Kong American police officer, following a history of white police officers not being indicted, large numbers of Chinese-American demonstrators gathered to argue that Liang was a scapegoat for years of unpunished actions by white police. At several events, the Chinese-American protesters joined Black Lives Matter protesters, while at others the groups protested opposite each other.[21][22][23] After Liang's sentencing in April 2016, protests flared again.[24]

George Floyd (2020)

[edit]
BLM mural in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with the names of some of the Black Americans killed by police

George Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020, while being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit bill in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As with the killing of Eric Garner, video of the event spread quickly through news and social media sparking international protests. In New York, the incident drew comparisons to Eric Garner, and demonstrations, protests, and marches occurred at several sites in each of the five New York City boroughs starting on May 28, 2020.[25][26][27] Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, participated in several of the events.[28] Most of the protests were peaceful, while some sites experienced protester and/or police violence. Looting became a parallel issue. As a result, and amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the city was placed under curfew for June 1 through June 7.[29][30][31]

Amid the protests, there were several instances of excessive force used by police, such as an NYPD vehicle driving into a crowd on May 30, a viral video of an officer pulling down a protester's mask in order to pepper spray him, and the use of kettling and other aggressive policing after curfew.[32][33][29][34][35][36] By June 7, a total of 1,126 arrests had been made during the protests, all but 39 of which were for non-violent offenses.[37] Most arrests were made before a curfew was implemented, while afterwards 1,346 people were detained and given summonses for violating it rather than arrested.[37]

The protests catalyzed efforts at police reform. New York City Councilman Rory Lancman first proposed a bill to criminalize chokeholds in 2014, after the killing of Eric Garner, but it was met with strong criticism from the powerful police unions and de Blasio threatened to veto it.[38][27] In the wake of Floyd's murder, on June 8, City Council moved to pass the legislation, expanding the original ban to cover any action which "restricts the flow of air or blood by compressing the windpipe, diaphragm, or the carotid arteries" while making an arrest.[38] The State Senate and Assembly also passed a bill on June 9 repealing 50-a, a controversial section of the New York Civil Rights Law which made it difficult to attain police personnel records, such as complaints and disciplinary record.[39][40]

One of the demands made by protesters was to defund the NYPD, moving part of the budget to support communities in other ways, following years of responsibilities being added to the jobs of police.[41][42][43] As the budget deadline approached, protesters convened in City Hall Park to "Occupy City Hall", filling the park day and night to call for reducing the NYPD budget.[44] On June 30, City Council reduced the NYPD budget from $6 billion to $5 billion, canceling plans to hire new officers and shifting the responsibility to monitor vending, homeless populations, and schools to other entities.[45] The City Hall occupation lasted for a little over three weeks, with the location acting as a hub for protestors meeting others, seeking emergency medical care, food and water, education, rest. The occupation was heavily surveilled by the NYPD and was the site of much police brutality.

Continued racial unrest (2020–2022)

[edit]

The murder of George Floyd triggered broader civil unrest against systemic racism towards black people in the United States. It has involved protests, demonstrations, and marches as well as a cultural reckoning on topics of racial injustice generally.

On July 28, at a Black liberation march in Kips Bay, an 18 year old trans woman was apprehended by undercover warrant officers of the NYPD and placed in an unmarked gray police van, while bicycle officers held back the crowd. Cell phone video captured by protesters at the scene brought significant controversy on social media over the tactics used by law enforcement, with some making comparisons to use of federal forces in Portland, Oregon.[46] The NYPD that evening stated in a series of tweets that the suspect was wanted in a connection of multiple instances of property damage to police cameras around the time protesters were engaged in Occupy City Hall and that during the arrest they were "assaulted with rocks and bottles".[47] Following the incident, a group of protesters headed east to Madison Square Park, where two scuffles broke out between protesters and police, resulting in 12 arrests.[48]

In August, a protester barricaded himself inside of his apartment in Hell's Kitchen as more than two dozen police officers attempted to make an arrest. The man was accused of assaulting an officer by yelling through a megaphone in a NYPD officer's ear from an incident on June 14. After live streaming attempts by officers to try to reach him, hundreds of protesters converged to the area to show support for the man, which resulted in police pulling out of the area by the early afternoon in order to avoid an escalation. The protester turned himself in the next day and was charged with a misdemeanor. A spokesperson for the district attorney's office defended the utilization of officers by the NYPD to arrest the protest founder.[49] The NYPD later confirmed to the Gothamist of the use of facial recognition technologies in order to track down the suspect, which has been a continued subject of debate.[50]

On August 24, 700 protesters marched from Times Square to Brooklyn to condemn the shooting of Jacob Blake and calling for further police reforms. Metal barriers were erected by the NYPD to prevent protesters from crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, however 300 protesters jumped them.[51]

On September 4, several Daniel Prude demonstrators in Times Square sustained minor injuries after a sedan plowed through them and drove away. The NYPD investigated the matter and stated that the driver was not associated with the police, after initial rumors. The suspected driver had reportedly been seen at a counter-protest earlier that evening.[52] The next day on September 5, NYPD identified the six suspects including one who is repeat vandal of the BLM mural in front of Trump Tower. The suspects claimed that they were in jeopardy. No injuries had been reported however an investigation was underway by the office of Keith Powers.[53]

Following the 2020 United States presidential election on November 3, there were a series of several nights of post-election protests throughout the city in respond to claims by President Trump of electoral fraud; with peaceful protesters calling for the continued counting of every vote. 85 arrests had occurred by November 6.[54]

On December 11, about 50 protesters marching against the custody of 9 undocumented immigrants by I.C.E. sponsored by Black Lives Matter in Murray Hill were injured following a vehicle driving through the crowd, resulting in six being hospitalized and the arrest of a 52-year-old woman who faced reckless endangerment charges.[55][56]

Following the Storming of the United States Capitol on January 6, many New York officials including Jumaane Williams and Eric Adams drew contrasts to the response by law enforcement compared to the Summer of 2020, where there was a more aggressive response by police on Black Lives Matter demonstrators.[57]

A Black Lives Matter march through Midtown Manhattan clashed with police on Sixth Avenue on February 12. Eleven people were arrested around Times Square, with two officers and a news reporter suffering injuries.[58] The news reporter was a photographer for The Daily News, and was assaulted by a mob of 10 to 15 protesters.[59]

Street murals

[edit]
Trump Tower with Black Lives Matter mural painted in front in July 2020

In June 2020, a large mural was painted on Fulton Street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, displaying the words "Black Lives Matter" in yellow letters and the names of people killed by racial violence like George Floyd.[60][61][62] In July, New York elected officials painted another similar mural on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, directly in front of Trump Tower.[63][64] The president expressed his opposition to the mural after it was announced.[65] In the weeks after it was painted, the mural was repeatedly vandalized and repainted.[66][67][68][69][70]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "#BlackLivesMatter: the birth of a new civil rights movement". The Guardian. July 19, 2015. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  2. ^ Pilkington, Ed (June 4, 2020). "New York police take seconds to restore reputation for brutality". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  3. ^ Taylor, Clarence (2018). Fight the Power: African Americans and the Long History of Police Brutality in New York City. New York: NYU Press. ISBN 9781479822355.
  4. ^ "In America protests have already brought policy changes". The Economist. June 11, 2020. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  5. ^ "Judge to suggest future for NYPD cop accused of killing Eric Garner with chokehold". ABC News. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  6. ^ Goldstein, Joseph; Santora, Marc (August 1, 2014). "Staten Island Man Died From Chokehold During Arrest, Autopsy Finds (Published 2014)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  7. ^ "Life After 'I Can't Breathe' | WNYC | New York Public Radio, Podcasts, Live Streaming Radio, News". WNYC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Queally, James (July 19, 2014). "Rev. Al Sharpton leads calls for justice in NYPD chokehold death". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  9. ^ "Funeral Held For Eric Garner, SI Man Who Died In Police Custody". July 23, 2014. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  10. ^ EST, Oscar Lopez On 01/04/15 at 3:47 PM (January 4, 2015). "Fighting With Guerrilla Theater After the Death of Eric Garner". Newsweek. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Gioia, Michael (July 31, 2014). "Watch Flashmob Created by Broadway Stars in Response to Death of Eric Garner (Video)". Playbill. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  12. ^ "Rev. Sharpton Leads March, Rally Over Eric Garner's Death On S.I." August 23, 2014. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  13. ^ "'Young blacks are being targeted'". BBC News. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  14. ^ a b c Joseph, Peniel E. (December 5, 2014). "'I can't breathe': Why Eric Garner protests are gaining momentum". Reuters Blogs. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  15. ^ a b c "'We can't breathe': Eric Garner's last words become protesters' rallying cry". The Guardian. December 4, 2014. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  16. ^ a b "The Linguistic Power of the Protest Phrase 'I Can't Breathe'". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  17. ^ "223 Arrested as Protesters, Police Clash in New York City Over Eric Garner Decision". ABC News. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  18. ^ a b c Mueller, Benjamin; Southall, Ashley (December 14, 2014). "25,000 March in New York to Protest Police Violence (Published 2014)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  19. ^ "'Millions March NYC' ends in Manhattan". Newsday. December 14, 2014. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  20. ^ Prupis, Nadia (February 10, 2015). "NYPD Officer Indicted in Shooting of Akai Gurley: Reports". Common Dreams. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  21. ^ Wang, Yanan. "N.Y. police shooting that has divided Chinese Americans will be tried by jury". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  22. ^ "A Letter From Young Asian-Americans To Their Families About Black Lives Matter". NPR. Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  23. ^ Wang, Hansi Lo (April 23, 2016). "'Awoken' By N.Y. Cop Shooting, Asian-American Activists Chart Way Forward". NPR. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  24. ^ "Asian American activists get busy after a former NYPD officer gets probation". The World from PRX. April 21, 2016. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  25. ^ WABC-TV (May 27, 2020). "'I can't breathe': George Floyd's death draws comparisons to Eric Garner case". WABC-TV. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  26. ^ "Mayor De Blasio reflects on Eric Garner amid George Floyd outrage: 'I made a mistake'". WPIX. May 29, 2020. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  27. ^ a b Perper, Rosie. "New York City is reportedly voting on a bill that would criminalize the NYPD's use of chokeholds during an arrest, as protests for George Floyd rage on". Business Insider. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  28. ^ Pintoand, Nick; Offenhartz, Jake (May 30, 2020). "Thousands Of New Yorkers Protest Police Killing Of George Floyd As NYPD Responds With Batons And Pepper Spray". Gothamist. Archived from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  29. ^ a b "N.Y.C. Protests Turn Violent". The New York Times. May 31, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  30. ^ Silverman, Hollie (June 2, 2020). "Historic curfews in Los Angeles and New York are the harshest in decades". CNN. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  31. ^ Witt, Emily. "Protesting Past Curfew in New York City". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  32. ^ UTC, Jason Abbruzzese3d ago / 12:50 AM (May 31, 2020). "Two NYPD vehicles appear to hit protesters". NBC News. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ "'I wish the officers hadn't done that,' New York mayor says, after police drive into barrier holding back protesters". CNN. May 31, 2020. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  34. ^ "Protester Speaks Out After Mask Ripped Off By NYPD and Pepper-Sprayed in Brooklyn". WNBC. June 5, 2020. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  35. ^ "After Curfew, Police Arrest Dozens of Protesters in New York City". The New York Times. June 3, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  36. ^ Watkins, Ali (June 5, 2020). "'Kettling' of Peaceful Protesters Shows Aggressive Shift by N.Y. Police". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  37. ^ a b Pereira, Sydney; Hogan, Gwynne (June 10, 2020). "NYPD's Historic Mass Arrest Campaign During George Floyd Protests Was Mostly For Low-Level Offenses". Gothamist. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  38. ^ a b Ferré-Sadurní, Luis; Mays, Jeffery C.; Southall, Ashley (June 8, 2020). "Defying Police Unions, New York Lawmakers Ban Chokeholds". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  39. ^ "NY State Senate Bill S8496". New York State Senate. June 6, 2020. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  40. ^ "State lawmakers vote to repeal 50-a with support from all seven Queens senators". Queens Daily Eagle. June 9, 2020. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  41. ^ Rubinstein, Dana (June 7, 2020). "De Blasio Vows for First Time to Cut Funding for the N.Y.P.D." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  42. ^ Horn, Austin (June 7, 2020). "De Blasio Promises Cuts To NYPD, Ends NYC Curfew". NPR. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  43. ^ Robbins, Christopher; Chung, Jen; Cruz, David; Offenhartz, Jake; Nicholas, JB; Yakas, Ben (June 12, 2020). "Live Protest Updates: Jon Batiste Leads Musical Black Lives Matter Rally At Barclays Center". Gothamist. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  44. ^ Kim, Juliana; Alfiky, Amr (June 28, 2020). "How the Floyd Protests Turned Into a 24-Hour 'Occupy City Hall' in N.Y." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  45. ^ Rubinstein, Dana; Mays, Jeffery C. (June 30, 2020). "Nearly $1 Billion Is Shifted From Police in Budget That Pleases No One". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  46. ^ Blistein, Jon (July 29, 2020). "NYPD's 'Warrant Squad' Arrested a Trans Teen Protester, Shoved Her Into an Unmarked Van". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  47. ^ Holcombe, Madeline; Ebrahimji, Alisha (July 29, 2020). "Video shows New York police pulling a woman into an unmarked van. She was wanted for damaging police cameras, police say". CNN. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  48. ^ Einiger, Josh (July 28, 2020). "City officials demand answers after woman's controversial arrest during Manhattan protest". WABC-TV. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  49. ^ Stack, Liam; Correal, Annie; Kim, Juliana (August 7, 2020). "N.Y.P.D. Besieges a Protest Leader as He Broadcasts Live". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  50. ^ Joseph, George; Offenhartz, Jake (August 14, 2020). "NYPD Used Facial Recognition Technology In Siege Of Black Lives Matter Activist's Apartment". Gothamist. Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  51. ^ Burke, Kerry (August 24, 2020). "'It keeps happening': Hundreds of protesters fill Manhattan streets to condemn shooting of Wisconsin Black man in front of his children". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  52. ^ Wong, Wilson; Romero, Dennis (September 4, 2020). "Video shows car plowing through protesters in Times Square". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on September 6, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  53. ^ Einiger, Josh (September 5, 2020). "NYPD identifies owner of car that drove through BLM protesters in Times Square". WABC-TV. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  54. ^ Chapman, Ben; Honan, Katie (November 6, 2020). "Protesters March in New York City for Third Night Since Election". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  55. ^ "Multiple people injured after vehicle plows into crowd at New York protest". The Guardian. December 12, 2020. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  56. ^ Ardrey, Taylor. "New York City police charged a 52-year-old woman after a car rammed into a group of pedestrians near ICE protest in Manhattan". Business Insider. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  57. ^ Dow, Jay (January 7, 2021). "Capitol breach draws comparisons to Black Lives Matter protests". WPIX. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  58. ^ "VIDEO: 11 arrested, 2 officers and news reporter injured in protest near Times Square". www.radio.com. February 13, 2021. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  59. ^ Lepore, Stephen (February 12, 2021). "Press member assaulted at Midtown protest: police". WPIX. Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  60. ^ "Black Lives Matter Mural Painted Down Brooklyn Street". June 13, 2020. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  61. ^ "Black Lives Matter Mural Unveiled On Fulton Street In Bedford-Stuyvesant". June 14, 2020. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  62. ^ "Artists unveil Black Lives Matter street mural in New York City". CBS News. June 14, 2020. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  63. ^ Wu, Nicholas (July 9, 2020). "New York City paints Black Lives Matter mural in front of Trump Tower". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 9, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  64. ^ Gold, Michael; Slotnik, Daniel E. (July 9, 2020). "N.Y.C. Paints 'Black Lives Matter' in Front of Trump Tower". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  65. ^ Zaveri, Mihir (June 25, 2020). "'Black Lives Matter' Will Be Painted on Street Outside Trump Tower". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  66. ^ Diesnt, Jonathan; Russo, Melissa (July 13, 2020). "Black Lives Matter Mural in Front of Trump Tower Defaced With Red Paint". WNBC. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  67. ^ Einiger, Josh (July 13, 2020). "'Black Lives Matter' mural outside Trump Tower in NYC vandalized". WABC-TV. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  68. ^ Helsel, Phil (July 17, 2020). "Three arrested after Black Lives Matter mural near Trump Tower defaced for 2nd time this week". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 19, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  69. ^ Kesslen, Ben (July 19, 2020). "Black Lives Matter mural outside Trump Tower in NYC vandalized for third time in one week". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 19, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  70. ^ Villeda, Ray (August 6, 2020). "Black Lives Matter Mural at Trump Tower Vandalized Again by Repeat Offender". WNBC. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.