Complaint #202106002,
June 28, 2020

Summary

On June 28, 2020, at approximately 4 p.m., people gathered in Washington Square Park after the Reclaim Pride Coalition's Queer Liberation March.
After officers placed a prisoner in a transportation van, people congregated in the front of the arch in Washington Square Park in the street at the intersection of Washington Square Park North and 5th Avenue while a group of officers on motor scooters attempted to drive westbound through the intersection. People surrounded the officers on motor scooters, preventing them from moving through the intersection, and two officers on motor scooters fell to the ground. Officers on foot, including PO David James of the 6th Precinct, pushed people away from the officers on motor scooters (Allegations A and B: Force - Physical Force, [redacted]).
Sgt. Thomas Manning and PO Hensley Caraballo, both of the 14th Precinct, responded to the intersection in response to a radio call for backup. Sgt. Manning pushed people, including [redacted] out of the intersection and away from the officers on the motor scooters (Allegations C, D, and E: Force - Physical Force, [redacted]) and said, "Get the fuck back!" (Allegations F and G: Discourtesy - Word, [redacted]). When people did not comply with backing up, PO Caraballo used his pepper spray, hitting people in front of him including [redacted] (Allegations H, I, and J: Force - Pepper Spray, [redacted]).
[redacted] who had been in the general vicinity when PO Caraballo used his pepper spray, walked westbound into the park when an officer allegedly chased him with his baton (Allegation K: Abuse of Authority - Threat of Force, [redacted]) and allegedly yelled, "You think we're fucking around here?" (Allegation L: Discourtesy - Word, [redacted]). Read report for details.