A car drove through a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters in Times Square on Thursday, and the frightening ordeal was caught on video. In footage of the incident, a black car can be seen rolling through the large group of people protesting police brutality, as they attempt to block it. Suddenly, the vehicle increased its speed, putting likes at risk. At this time, no serious injuries have been reported.
The NYPD is investigating the incident, stating: “There is an ongoing investigation into an incident in Times Square involving a black Taurus sedan. This auto is NOT an NYPD vehicle. There are currently no complainants. NYPD asks if there is anyone injured, please come forward.” New York City councilperson Keith Powers issued a statement on the matter, tweeting how the office is looking into the incident. “Using a vehicle to hurt peaceful protestors is unacceptable and must be stopped,” he said.
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Car drives through protesters, Times Square, New York City, Thursday, September 3, 2020 pic.twitter.com/yMadwNYJSI
โ DataInput (@datainput) September 4, 2020
The incident comes as citizens from all over the United States have been protesting the deaths and shooting of multiple Black Americans โ such as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Jacob Blake โ at the hands of White police officers. Blake was shot in Kenosha, Wisconsin last month. He was struck seven times in the back as he attempted to enter his SUV. Blake survived, but doctors have said that he may be paralyzed from the waist down.
The shooting of Blake is reportedly still under investigation, but Blake’s family has made it clear that they want the officer responsible to be held accountable. CNN spoke with Blake’s uncle โ Justin Blake โ who opened up and shared that the video of his nephew being shot “literally took my breath away.” He went on to say: “You’re looking at somebody you know, love, trust and respect and are proud of, but you can’t help them. You sort of have to remove yourself in order to maintain your sanity.”
“Thank God he’s alive,” Justin added. “We’re just praying for a great recovery, that he may have a great quality of life and that his father, my brother can enjoy him. […] We want justice and we’re going to get justice. We’re going to demand justice, but we’re going to do that without tearing up our own communities.” Currently, there is no word on whether or not the officers will face charges.