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Cuomo Says Attorney General Will Investigate NYPD's "Inexplicable" Policing Of George Floyd Protests
By
Sydney Pereira
Published May 31, 2020
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By
Sydney Pereira
Published May 31, 2020
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Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday he's asking the state Attorney General to investigate videos of clashes between protesters and the NYPD over the weekend, calling some of the footage showing officers' violent policing tactics "truly disturbing" and "inexplicable."
"I've spoken to the mayor," Cuomo said during his daily press briefing. "He understands the situation...They know the attorney general is going to review it. I'm telling them that if that review looks at those videos and finds that there was improper police conduct there will be ramifications."
Attorney General Letitia James has 30 days to file a report, the governor said.
"This is a moment of reform. I'm not going to judge it just on what I saw on the video," he added. "People deserve answers and accountability."
James said in a statement: "We take the designation to investigate last night's actions very seriously. We will act independently to seek answers, ensure that the truth is laid bare, and that there is accountability for any wrongdoing. We will be transparent in our findings as we seek accountability for those who did wrong." Her office said anyone with information about the protests on Saturday should contact [email protected].
An estimated 5,000 people joined protests citywide speaking out against the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis for a third day of demonstrations, with some 345 arrests, 33 officer injuries, and 47 NYPD vehicles damaged. Neither the NYPD or FDNY could provide a count of how many protesters were injured. Countless videos circulated on social media showing officers violently clashing with demonstrators, hitting people with batons and spraying pepper spray. In one video, officers can be seen driving into a crowd of protesters in two vehicles—which Mayor Bill de Blasio defended. In another, an officer is seen ripping off a protester's mask and pepper spraying him in the face.
During the mayor's press briefing on Sunday morning, de Blasio announced Corporation Counsel Jim Johnson and Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett would also conduct an investigation into police conduct at the protest. An initial report is expected in June.
Despite the investigations and photos and videos of police violence, the mayor said the vast majority of officers used "tremendous restraint" and protected peaceful protesters from a "violent organized effort," which he attributed to a small group of people, some from outside New York City.
One person from Catskill, NY and two from Brooklyn face federal charges for throwing a molotov cocktail at a police van. "It's so obvious what's happening here," de Blasio said, though he did not offer any additional evidence Sunday morning.
"Deputy Commissioner [John] Miller will be able to show you the kind of weapons people brought, the kind of strategy they employed. The level of organization. This is not accidental stuff. This is not informal stuff. You’ll see a systematic pattern," de Blasio said.
In a plea for protesters to peacefully demonstrate, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea added the most impactful protests during his career have been the quietest, despite countless points in NYC history showing otherwise.
"I've worked a lot of protests, good and bad. The ones I remember, the ones that have the lasting impact, and this is my opinion, are the quietest ones," Shea said. "I think the ones that make the lasting impression and the ones that I remember, the sheer size, are the quietest, that make a difference."
Rochester has requested 200 state police, and 150 troopers may be sent to Buffalo, and the state is also in discussion with Syracuse and Albany for reinforcements. The National Guard is on standby, and Cuomo did not indicate a statewide curfew was a possibility. "Curfews work well in some cities. In some cities they can create additional issues," Cuomo said. De Blasio said no curfews were planned in NYC during his press conference Sunday morning.
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Governor Andrew Cuomo
attorney general
tish james
nyc
George Floyd
nypd
protests
Sydney Pereira
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