NYPD seeks suspects in brawl between Proud Boys and protesters
NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - The NYPD has released security camera video as well as images of individuals in connection with the fight and beating that broke out between followers of the right-wing group Proud Boys and several protesters on Friday night in Manhattan.
Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said Monday that the NYPD is seeking to charge several members of the Proud Boys as well as anti-fascist protesters, often known as Antifa, in connection with the incident. Police are seeking to identify several more people seen in the video, which shows a different angle of the brawl that was captured on video that went viral.
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The viral video showed Proud Boys members punching and kicking men on the ground and yelling slurs. That video sparked outrage that police didn't arrest anyone at the time. (The violence followed a speech that Proud Boys leader Gavin McInnes gave at the Metropolitan Republican Club.)
At a news conference on Monday, Shea called this an "active investigation" and that detectives are still reviewing evidence and interviewing witnesses.
"As the individuals came out of the [Metropolitan Republican Club], went to the corner of Park (Avenue) and went south, six individuals circled the block and came 82nd Street, Lex to Park, to try to intercept the group that was being escorted south on Park Avenue," Shea said. "At some point, we have six individuals wearing masks... that approached from Lex towards Park we believe yelling at group going south on Park. And some of the members from the Park Avenue side begin to go on 82nd Street and interact in front of the scaffolding, and that is the video that you saw."
Shea said the security camera video shows one of the masked men throw something, possibly a bottle, at the Proud Boys.
"And now a fight ensues—you see violence there, kicking," Shea said. "It's approximately 38 seconds between when six dressed in black with masks throw bottle to the uniformed officers arrive on scene with the scooters."
The NYPD said that no one has filed a complaint with the department in connection with this violent incident. The department is asking you to contact the Crime Stoppers with any information about the incident or to report being a victim of a crime.
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