A vocal street protest in Brooklyn Monday night following the weekend police shooting of a teenager turned rowdy, with garbage tossed onto streets and NYPD police in riot gear shutting down a residential neighborhood.
Police said there was one arrest for disorderly conduct after the protests, which started peacefully at about 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Church and Troy avenues in East Flatbush, according to an NYPD spokesman. No one was injured.
Some time after the crowd had gathered, the mood turned unruly among some of about 50 protesters. About 20 people who were attending the protest broke off from the "peaceful crowd" and began "throwing bottles and fruit," the NYPD spokesman said.
The protest stemmed from community outrage over the shooting death of Kimani Gray, 16, who was fatally shot by two NYPD officers Saturday night. According to police, Gray was with a group of other males and police approached, identifying themselves. Police said Gray pointed a .38-caliber revolver at the officers, who responded by firing 11 shots, striking him several times. Two unnamed officers have been placed on administrative duty, the NYPD said.
By about 11 p.m., much of the protest was over, but nearly 70 police officers in helmets and riot gear stood watch near the corner of Nostrand and Snyder avenues, near the NYPD's 67th Precinct.
Some people living in the working-class neighborhood near where the protests got out of control said they understood why the demonstrators were angry.
"That's how it goes down here," said Joshua Rosion, 25, who arrived home from work at about 11 p.m. to find garbage strewn along east 31st Street near his home.
Rosion's friend, Frank Abagnale, 23, said the protesters in the streets "were youths. They have no other way to express themselves so they do this to get our attention."
Abagnale said the protesters smashed the driver-side mirror of his 2003 BMW but he understood their frustration.
"I understand because at that age I was once very frustrated and very angry," Abagnale said.
Copyright 2013 - Newsday
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
