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7 Revealing Video Clips From Zuccotti Park Raid, As Seen By The NYPD
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 26, 2012
Modified Sep 26, 2012
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 26, 2012
Modified Sep 26, 2012
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The 10 hours and 35 minutes of footage shot by the NYPD during the raid of Zuccotti Park that was released (but not "leaked") by Anonymous on Monday gives a more expansive view of what happened on the morning of November 15, 2011—albeit in a more sanitized form. Much of the footage, which also includes clips from the Duarte Square action and the re-opening of the park the following evening, is heavily edited, especially scenes that include arrests. Still, some of it is illuminating, and contradicts the statements or positions made by city officials defending the raid—notably, that Occupy's Library was dismantled & destroyed by Brookfield employees, and that reports of press harassment and arrests were part of a "myth."
This clip, taken at around 1:20 a.m. on November 15, 2011, shows the degree to which protesters and members of the press were forcefully prevented from witnessing the eviction of Zuccotti Park. On Broadway and Liberty, where a protester is detained, there is little noise or any sign of commotion. Yet as the crowd of helmeted officers walk north on Broadway, you can see and hear the mass of humanity being held back by police barricades. Reporters for the Village Voice, the New York Times, and DNAinfo, among others (including this reporter) were shoved even further back with riot shields and batons to Cortland Street and eventually Dey Street.
At 4:22, the NYPD Lieutenant with the bullhorn, walks up to the DNAinfo reporter, Julie Shapiro, who is taking a photograph, and shouts into her face, "PLEASE clear the sidewalk!" Mayor Bloomberg later said that press was prevented from witnessing the "cleaning" of the park for the reporters' own safety. Arrests are made, and one crying protester wonders why the TARU officer filming her is laughing.
As if we needed more evidence of press suppression during the raid, this clip shows an NYPD-credentialed journalist (note the City seal at the bottom of his credential and the red line running through the bottom on the reverse side) being slammed against a police car and led away by helmeted officers, while he calmly repeats the word "Press." It's not clear if the reporter is one of those who was arrested that night.
The first four minutes of this footage shows protester Ted Hall giving a monologue as police in riot gear watch, but the remaining time shows police notifying Occupy's medical tent that they must leave. An officer tells the doctor on duty that he must leave, but that EMS will take care of his patients. The doctor declines, and refuses to leave his two patients. A long standoff ensues, as several officers believe that one of the protesters stole a scalpel. A nurse ensures them that they haven't. That nurse, "Nurse Jane," wrote about the experience here. She describes the medical tent as "the most amazing clinic I've ever worked in!"
Eventually, the tent is ripped by police knives, and everyone is forced out. Nurse Jane is seen speaking with another officer, explaining to him her concerns (11:40 mark), and notes that it doesn't help that there is a man filming her. "That would be me," the TARU officer from behind the camera replies.
As police and Sanitation workers cleared the park, a core of protesters linked arms around the park's kitchen area. This clip shows the ensuing arrests, and one protester who had chained herself to a tree being cut free with a saw (18:00).
While other members of the media were being forced from the park, local news trucks parked across the street from Zuccotti on Trinity Place were allowed to film the western portion of the park, away from where arrests were taking place. This is a view from what appears to be a crane or the roof of an NYPD vehicle. Note the camera zooming in on a small group of protesters who are having a conversation.
From the same view, the same NYPD officer films a protester being escorted from the park, tackled, then let loose. In subsequent clips not published here, the camera continues to follow the protester as he speaks with another man, and eventually walks away.
Last month, the City of New York surprised attorneys representing Occupy's People's Library by claiming that Brookfield Properties was responsible for the destruction of over 2,800 books—$47,000 worth of damage altogether. Plenty of footage of city employees carting away private property in Sanitation Department trucks exists, but if there was any doubt at all, here is video of Sanitation employees dismantling the People's Library, located in the northeast corner of the park (3:15). The additional footage in this clip shows officers and Sanitation employees kicking property and trash into piles, along with dispersal orders being given to the group of protesters remaining in the park.
Tagged
first amendment
occupy wall street
paul browne
Ray Kelly
TARU
Zuccotti Park
original
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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