The Albany Police Department on Thursday arrested a number of people after officers disbanded an encampment in front of a police precinct.
Eight people were apprehended for charges of second-degree rioting, disorderly conduct, and obstruction of governmental administration. Chief Eric Hawkins referred to the gathering as an “unlawful occupation” and said “public safety” concerns from residents have led his department to take down the organized protest.
“For several days, protesters have occupied the roadway in front of the South Station,” he wrote. “The Albany Police Department, in efforts to support the freedom of expression and to de-escalate a tense situation, did not interfere with this unlawful occupation. We have heard the grievances of the protesters loud and clear. We have also heard the concerns from members of that neighborhood as well as officers & non-sworn staff who serve from the South Station. For public safety purposes, it is time to end this unlawful occupation.”
He continued, “Protesters may continue to peacefully demonstrate, but they must do so in a space that is safe and lawful.”
SIX PEOPLE ARRESTED AFTER DEMONSTRATORS DEFACE MONUMENT AND CLASH WITH POLICE IN NEW YORK CITY
Law enforcement, some of whom donned riot gear, pushed back the crowd and knocked over chairs and tents that were placed in the middle of the street, footage showed. The makeshift camp had been standing for six days, according to the Times Union.
Confrontation between police and protesters in Albany @timesunion pic.twitter.com/AscrNUdIm1
— Eduardo Medina (@byEduardoMedina) April 22, 2021
The department posted pictures and videos Wednesday of two individuals wanted in connection “to activities that occurred in front of the South Station.” One of the individuals, who was holding a sign that read “Justice for Daunte Wright,” was seen hurling an object at the precinct.
Wright died April 11 after former Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, officer Kim Potter allegedly mistook her gun for a Taser and shot him. His death led to nationwide demonstrations, some of which were violent. Potter has since been arrested and charged with manslaughter.
— Albany Police (@albanypolice) April 21, 2021
The American Civil Liberties Union of New York on Thursday condemned the police department’s tactics after it said law enforcement “violently” dispersed protesters and obscured their badge numbers.
“There is no excuse for police violence against protestors anywhere in New York state. Protests calling for an end to police brutality against Black New Yorkers should never result in more police brutality,” the group wrote in a statement. “Members of Albany law enforcement are instigating violence while reportedly concealing their identification badges. This is neither accountability nor justice and shows that the police are deliberately refusing to police themselves.”
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, a Democrat, said she “fully” supports the chief’s decision to end the encampment. The demonstrators were in violation of several city codes, she added.
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“I fully support Chief Hawkins’ decision to end the unlawful encampment while providing space for peaceful protests that keeps our residents, workforce, and protestors safe,” she wrote. “We have allowed these protestors to express their First Amendment rights for several days, however their protest escalated to camping in the street, damaging taxpayer property and starting open fires — all violations of the City Code.”
The Albany Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.
