An NYPD chief and several of his officers were chased down a Manhattan street by pro-Palestinian NYU protesters who forced the cops to retreat into a campus building, startling video shows.
NYPD Assistant Chief James McCarthy, the head of Patrol Borough Manhattan South, was helping two cops in riot gear complete the arrest of a protester in their custody Monday night when they were pursued by more than a dozen outraged activists demanding the woman’s release, the video shows.
Cops arrested 120 protesters at NYU in total that night during a heated stand off with pro-Palestinian protesters who created an encampment on university grounds. The college asked the NYPD to clear out the protesters.
“You f—ing fascist!” one protester screams repeatedly while several demonstrators, including one with a drum hanging from his neck, record McCarthy leading his team down the street.
The chief attempts to open a set of glass doors but they were locked as the protesters swarm behind them.
“F— you pigs!” another protester screams as McCarthy speaks into his radio and one officer tries to move the protesters back.
The chief is recorded speaking into his radio, giving his location, and leading his officers down the street to another building as the protesters continue to follow him, screaming “Let her go! Let her go!”
“Mccarthy is seen attempting to get inside the NYU Catholic Center, but couldn’t open the door,” @peterhvideo wrote when he posted the video Tuesday night.
McCarthy ultimately leads his officers further down the block and into a building that already has a few cops inside, the video shows.
“He eventually finds an unlocked door around the corner,” @peterhvideo said. “Security guards have to hold the doors closed as Mccarthy calls for backup.”
At one point a protester tried to grab one of the cops’ hands but her hand is batted away, the video shows.
A high-ranking NYPD official said McCarthy has responded to scores of protests and didn’t feel threatened Monday.
“McCarthy has been around for a long time,” said the official, who asked not to be named. “He’s in charge of Manhattan South, which has handled more protests than any other borough.”
“He’s very experienced in these matters,” the official said. “If he felt that he needed backup or help he would have put it over the radio and we would have addressed it.”
On Tuesday, NYPD brass blamed faculty and “professional agitators” for causing most of the trouble the night before.
The NYU campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine said they were “met with violent arrests” during Monday’s protests. At least two reporters say they were pepper sprayed, including from the NYU student newspaper and local outlet HellGate.
With Rocco Parascandola
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