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NYPD police pushed the AP reporters who covered the protests of George Floyd
NYPD officers surrounded, pushed and abused a pair of Associated Press journalists who covered George Floyd’s protest at the Big Apple on Tuesday night to Wednesday.
Part of tense the encounter was captured on video, and released by the AP Tuesday night, showed video journalist Robert Bumsted and photographer Maye-E Wong trying to cover rallies in the Lower Manhattan area.
“Why are you important?” one police repeatedly shouted at the couple after they were identified as trusted journalists.
Reporters who work are considered important workers and are allowed out through the city at 8 pm. curfew to cover protests, according to the mayor’s office.
“I did not give anything,” another police officer responded to the video.
“Get the f-k out of here, you s-t,” said another policeman.
Police keep pushing both of them, trying to separate them and force them towards Bumsted’s car, according to the AP.
Both use their AP identities, according to the report.
“They don’t care,” Wong said.
Asked about the incident from Tuesday night, as well as the incident of police aggression against the press during the protest, police commissioner Shea said the department “is doing the best we can in difficult situations.
“Unfortunately, we have a number of people who, in his opinion, are actually pressed to lie if you can believe it,” Shea said. “A many people clearly know what to say … so sometimes these things take a while to complete. “
“We 100 percent respect the rights of the press.”
The incident with AP reporters occurred after police stepped up patrols to close most of Manhattan after 8 pm. curfew.
Nearly 300 arrests were made overnight.
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