Nonviolent Brooklyn Protest Busted Up By NYPD, Witnesses Say

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — Chants of "peaceful protest" echoed through Cadman Plaza as NYPD officers charged nonviolent George Floyd protesters on Wednesday.

A torrent of real time social media posts from Plaza, many expressing disgust and shock, documented the take down.

City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams joined the chorus.

"The force used on nonviolent protestors was disgusting," he wrote.

I can't believe what I just witnessed & experienced. The force used on nonviolent protestors was disgusting. No looting/no fires.Chants of "peaceful protest"@NYPDnews was simply enforcing
an ill advised curfew
What happened was completely avoidable

I'm so ashamed of @NYCMayor

Witnesses described a line of NYPD officers, some with shields, moving toward protesters. Reporter Zach Williams with City & State New York captured video showing chaos as police armed with batons shoved and forced their way through the crowd.

Another journalist, Danny Gold, tweeted it was nearly "1:1 cop to protester."

"It really didn’t have to go down like this," he wrote. "This was the least aggressive group of protesters I’ve seen out since the beginning."