On January 27th, a security camera on 42nd Street in New York City captured footage of a brawl between two police officers and seven troublemakers. This altercation started when a large group huddled in front of a migrant shelter in Manhattan, blocking the sidewalk and inconveniencing others.
Two police officers were called to order them to split up and move, as they were blocking the paths of others. The rowdy group seemed to view this as a personal attack, and refused. They then taunted the officers with singing and insults, aggravating them to the point of violence (NBC New York).
The officers singled out the least compliant of the bunch, 24 year-old Yohenry Brito. One of the officers proceeded to grab him by the jacket collar and pin him against a building. Confused and upset, Brito struggled to free himself from the officer’s grip, causing the other officer to help restrain him. Brito then decided to flee by taking his jacket off and running away. He made it to the middle of the sidewalk when the two police officers pinned him to the concrete. By this point, his friends and two bystanders jumped in to attack the police, kicking and punching them as they struggled to hold their target. This violent altercation resulted in multiple injuries to the officers, with one sustaining a cut on the face and the other suffering from bodily damage (ABC News).
In total, seven men faced charges, including second-degree assault, obstructing governmental administration, tampering with physical evidence and third-degree hindering prosecution: Yorman Reveron, 24; Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, 19; Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19; Wilson Juarez, 21; Yohenry Brito, 24; and two unidentified migrants (CBS News). Brito has been held on bail since February 1st, and Reveron, Gomez-Izquiel, Servita, Arocha and Juarez were released after their arraignments. Several officials have spoken out against the incident, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who voiced her dissatisfied with the option of bail, believing that it is the cause for the increase in the amount of repeat offenders in the city. Mayor Eric Adams told the press that authorities did not discriminate against migrants, but, if convicted, the federal government should do their duty and deport them (CBS News).
