NCY Police Filmed Purposefuly Bumping into Protester (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A New York police officer was filmed deliberately bumping into a protester before his colleagues pounced on him and pinned him to the ground.
Terrel Tuosto told TMZ he was taking part in a peaceful demonstration in Nassau County, Long Island on Saturday.
Tuosto claims he was 'set up' by the officers who he believes were 'simply sick' of seeing him demonstrating over the death of George Floyd, the Daily Mail reported.
In the footage Tuosto speaks into a microphone as officers tell him to move onto the other side of the street, he responds by telling them: 'I have the right to walk where I want.'
'Your job is to serve and protect,' he adds.
But the police are intent on steering Tuosto and his comrades into the other lane.
Tuosto attempts to sidestep one of the officers who then blocks his path and after he makes contact with him, the other cops quickly descend on the demonstrator.
'He's not resisting! He's not resisting!' yells Mike Motamedian, who filmed the incident.
As Tuosto is hauled to the ground by several officers, the others form a cordon around them and shout at the protesters to stay back.
Nassau County police said Tuosto's disorderly conduct arrest, as well as that of two others, was necessary. They told TMZ that Tuosto was 'moving across lanes of traffic.'
It appears that the incident will receive further scrutiny after New York Attorney General Letitia James' Office commented on Twitter: 'Please report this and send visuals to my office.'
Tuosto last week spoke into a megaphone to demonstrators marching through Rockville Centre.
According to the Long Island Herald, he told the crowd: 'We need to see police officers be held accountable for their wrongful actions, their prejudices.
'We need to see other cops, the good cops with the good hearts, be incentivized [and] be able to have something good happen to them if they speak out against this racism and this oppression that is happening to us.'
