NYPD suspends two officers seen in viral videos confronting protesters

The New York Police Department (NYPD) on Friday announced it has suspended two officers seen on video assaulting protesters. 

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea announced in a statement that disciplinary action was being taken against the officers and that they were suspended without pay. 

“These incidents … are disturbing and run counter to the principles of NYPD training, as well as our mission of public safety,” Shea said in the statement. “The actions by these officers stand apart from the restrained work of the thousands of other officers who have worked tirelessly to protect those who are peacefully protesting and keep all New Yorkers safe.”

The names of the officers have not been released. 

In one of the videos, an NYPD officer in Queens is recorded pulling down a protester’s face covering to pepper spray them while their hands are in the air. 

In the other video, an officer is seen throwing a woman to the ground, where she lies and holds her head. She later identified herself as Dounya Zayer. Zayer said she was peacefully protesting and that the fall resulted in her having a seizure and being diagnosed with a concussion.

Both incidents took place last week.

BREAKING: An NYPD Officer in Queens who was caught on camera pulling down the face covering of a protester, who had his hands in the air, & firing pepper spray into his face has been suspended w/out pay.
Disciplinary action may follow.
It happened 5/30/20.pic.twitter.com/WIlC579p8x

— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) June 6, 2020

NYPD officer just called a female protester a “stupid fucking bitch” and threw her to the ground pic.twitter.com/18YUHYmqQa

— Jason Lemon (@JasonLemon) May 30, 2020

Videos and other media have captured several instances of police violently clashing with protesters who have been demonstrating against the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died during a Minneapolis police arrest May 25.

Police departments have been pressured to suspend or fire those in such videos.