Times Square Protest For Daniel Prude Set For Thursday

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Black Lives Matter organizers are planning an "emergency action" in Times Square Thursday evening to protest the death of Daniel Prude, a Rochester man who died of asphyxiation in March after police officers put a hood over his head and pressed his face into the pavement.

Video of Prude's arrest was released Wednesday by his family and has circulated widely, as his family calls for the police officers involved to be fired and charged with murder. The footage begins with Prude, 41, naked and standing on the street with his hands cuffed behind his back.

After officers place a "spit hood" — intended to stop arrestees from spitting on officers — over his head, he becomes more agitated, and eventually becomes motionless after officers pin him to the ground for more than two minutes.

Thursday's protest is expected to begin at 7 p.m. in front of the "red steps" of the TKTS ticket booth. It was organized by Nupol Kiazolu, who until last month was the president of Black Lives Matter Greater New York.

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Flyer for emergency protest at Times Square tomorrow. Calling all Medics and Legal Observers YOUR PRESENCE IS NEEDED. @nupol_justice Poster by @butterflymush
A post shared by @ justiceforgeorgenyc on Sep 2, 2020 at 9:23pm PDT