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Congressman’s office vandalized as pro-Palestinian protests reignite across NYC

Posted on by neversleep

The uptown Manhattan district office of New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat and the surrounding area was vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti on Thursday night.

According to security footage police viewed at the scene the following morning, the vandalism took place at around 11 p.m., on a night when pro-Palestinian protests took place around the city, on the eve of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the United Nations General Assembly.

The graffiti covered a window that, for much of the past year, has displayed fliers with the faces of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The office, which was closed Friday morning as police investigated, is regularly picketed by small groups of pro-Palestinian protesters.

By Friday morning, the graffiti had been partially scratched off, but the vandalism appeared to say, “F— Israel,” “40k dead,” “genocide lover” and “terrorist” in red paint on the window and door of Espaillat’s office in Washington Heights.

The graffiti also had an inverted red triangle, a symbol Hamas uses to mark its targets in propaganda videos that has become increasingly popular among pro-Palestinian protesters. Other graffiti on the same street and on a nearby subway entrance also featured the red triangle and read “F— Israel NYPD Cop City,” “Free Gaza” and “A terrorist in uniform is still a terrorist.”

Espaillat is a Democrat representing upper Manhattan and part of the Bronx. He has spoken out in support of Israeli hostages, security funding for Jewish institutions, and Jewish students at Columbia University in recent months. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Other pro-Israel New York congressmen have had their offices hit with anti-Israel graffiti since Oct. 7, including Reps. Daniel Goldman and Ritchie Torres, both Democrats, and Republican Rep. Mike Lawler.

Anti-Israel protests reignited around the city this week, after a lull during the summer, when many students were home for summer vacation. A protest against Netanyahu marched from Bryant Park on Thursday, and demonstrators gathered outside a hotel on Park Avenue on Thursday night where they believed Netanyahu was staying. The protests come amid an escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

The anti-Zionist Jewish Voice for Peace said actress Rowan Blanchard from the “Spy Kids” movie series had been arrested along with 24 other activists affiliated with the group.

The hardline pro-Palestinian activist group Within Our Lifetime released a map illustrated with dripping blood that urged followers to target the offices of Israel-focused groups including the Friends of the IDF, AIPAC, Birthright and the “Zionist consulate,” as well as Grand Central Station. The group published a similar map last year.

Anti-Israel protesters targeted New York Mayor Eric Adams at a Thursday rally after he was indicted for corruption. Columbia University students announced a Friday campus protest focused on Israeli strikes in Lebanon.

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Activists target Brooklyn home of NYPD cop they say aggressively handled protest

Posted on by neversleep

Activists targeted the Brooklyn home of an NYPD cop, accusing him of aggressively handling a protest over a police-involved shooting in a Brooklyn subway station a day earlier.

The protesters showed up at the cop’s home in Sunset Park about 9:45 p.m. Monday and began yelling at him from the sidewalk after spotting him on his front porch.

“We want justice! We want Justin!” the protesters screamed, using the cop’s first name after he retreated into his home.

The officer called 911 as the protesters set fire to an American flag and threw objects at the aluminum-sided home. When on-duty cops arrived, the crowd quickly dispersed and no arrests were made, officials said.

The NYPD’s Threat Assessment Unit was notified of the protest at the officer’s home and cops have been sitting outside his house keeping watch since Monday, a police source said.

On Sunday, the targeted officer, who joined the NYPD in January 2023, helped handle a protest outside 73rd Precinct stationhouse over the Sept. 15 subway shooting that left four wounded, including a fellow officer, by police bullets.

An activist who felt the officer was overly aggressive in his response to the stationhouse protest took a picture of him. No arrests were made at the Sunday night protest.

“An individual took a photo of an officer and posted their personal address on social media,” an NYPD spokesman said. The targeted officer was not part of the Sept. 15 subway incident.

In a social media video, one of the protesters who showed up outside the cop’s home recaps the incident, accusing the targeted officer of being “very aggressive” against protesters the day before, saying the officer “put his hands” on a few of them outside the stationhouse.

“You all shot the subway up — we didn’t do it. Now we’re going to start doing house visits to everyone in that goddamn (police) station. It’s all about making them feel it. It’s all about making them scared of us. It’s all about making them quit their f—ing job.”

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Eric Adams indictment alleges decade of corruption, bribery by foreign nationals

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Prosecutors unveiled a five-count indictment [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YiOHVNs_eoxyN-ykHUCdO2DTSQtTCmmW/view] of New York City Mayor Eric Adams on corruption charges.

The 57-page indictment charges Adams with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and to receive campaign contributions by foreign nationals, one count of wire fraud, two counts of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national, and one count of bribery.

It alleges a 10-year pattern of corruption.

“In 2014, ERIC ADAMS, the defendant, became Brooklyn Borough President,” it read. “Thereafter, for nearly a decade, ADAMS sought and accepted improper valuable benefits, such as luxury international travel, including from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish govermennt official seeking to gain influence over him.”

Some of the charges are in connection with contributions to Adams’s 2021 mayoral campaign, “including from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him.”

Adams was indicted Wednesday night following a federal corruption investigation, making him the first mayor in the city’s history to be indicted while in office. The morning after the indictment, federal agents raided Gracie Mansion, the New York City mayor’s mansion, before sunrise.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Department of Justice, FBI, IRS, and the city Department of Investigation all have investigations into Adams, though in most cases it isn’t clear what crimes they are focusing on.

Investigations and accusations of corruption have plagued Adams since November 2023, when the FBI raided the homes of two of his associates. Numerous close associates have since been investigated, raided, and arrested, some as recently as this month, presenting a chaotic image of his administration.

Adams’s phone and iPad were seized in November, one of the first indications of a major investigation. In July, the mayor was served two grand jury subpoenas. The past month has seen a slew of new revelations, raids, and resignations.

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Two teens surrender after stealing subway car at the Briarwood-Van Wyck Blvd. station

Posted on by neversleep

Two teenagers turned themselves in at the 107th Precinct in Fresh Meadows, where they were booked for stealing an unoccupied MTA subway car at the Briarwood-Van Wyck Blvd. station and taking it for a brief joy ride just after midnight on Thursday, Sept. 12.

The 17-year-old girl surrendered just after noon on Wednesday, and her accomplice, a 17-year-old boy, turned himself in the following morning. They were each charged with two counts of criminal mischief in the first degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree.

The two teens are accused of breaking into the vacant, out-of-service subway car and operating it for about 50 feet before they struck another unoccupied subway. No injuries were reported, but the train sustained around $1,500 worth of damage to the subway cars due to the collision, according to the criminal complaint. The two teens fled the scene before officers from the 107th Precinct and Transit District 20 arrived after responding to a 911 call about the incident.

They turned themselves in after their images were widely disseminated in local media. The young man boasted about his photo, telling a detective, “That’s me in the flyer,” according to the complaint.

At an unrelated press conference at the Corona Yards on Wednesday, MTA Interim President Demetrius Crichlow addressed how the subway snatchers were caught on camera.

“We’ve continually said that we have cameras. We’re aggressively installing cameras. We’re at approximately 70% of the fleet right now have cameras in and these cars specifically do so. We have great video which has been turned over to the police, and we’re confident that they will get the people, the perpetrators in this case.”

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Thousands protest against Iranian president ahead of his UN General Assembly address

Posted on by neversleep

September 24, 2024

Thousands of Iranian-Americans held a protest outside of the United Nations demanding justice for victims of Iran’s regime.

They have covered the plaza with the faces of those they say have fallen for freedom.

Political figures, human rights advocates, and Iranian survivors are denouncing the nearly 200 executions carried out since Masoud Pezeshkian took office.

An Iranian American nurse shared what she says was her firsthand experience treating pro-democracy protestors during the 2022 Iran uprising.

“When the wounded youth would come to the hospital, the regime was asking they be returned to the government,” a translator said for the nurse. “They created secure treatment homes in Iran to treat the wounded youth. Since he became president we have had more than 180 executions and hangings.”

Protestors say this is a weeklong demonstration.

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UN General Assembly bringing heightened security, traffic disruptions to NYC

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The United Nations General Assembly is set to kick off next week, with more than 100 world leaders, including President Joe Biden, arriving in New York City.

Now, the NYPD, in collaboration with state and federal agencies, is preparing for what is considered one of the city’s largest annual security operations. While officials have confirmed there are no credible threats at this time, law enforcement remains on high alert to ensure the safety of foreign dignitaries, New Yorkers, and visitors.

Visible security measures, including canine units, aviation patrols, and water security, will be deployed throughout the city, particularly around the UN headquarters on First Avenue. However, many security tactics will remain behind the scenes, with diplomatic security personnel monitoring every move.

“This is the largest annual gathering of global leaders on the planet,” said Patrick Freaney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s New York Field Office. “Given the enormity of this event, the Department of Homeland Security has given it the designation of a national security event.”

Starting at 5 a.m. on Sunday, New Yorkers can expect road closures that will significantly affect traffic. Streets affected include:

  • 1st Avenue from 34th to 51st Streets
  • 42nd Street from 2nd to 1st Avenue
  • Portions of 44th, 46th, and 48th Streets from 2nd to 1st Avenue

This year, protests over the Israel-Hamas war are an expected concern for the NYPD, who say that violence and vandalism will not be tolerated.

Authorities say the goal is to be ready for any and everything.

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Police fatally shoot man after chase from NYC to Long Island

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Police fatally shot a man on Long Island after he led officers on a chase that started in New York City and left several injured, authorities said.

Late Friday night in Queens, NYPD officers tried pulling the man over. But he sped away and continued evading police until he was stopped in Massapequa, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said.

The man “tried to ram” two NYPD officers as he fled, and ultimately injured officers and a civilian during the pursuit, Ryder said at a news conference Saturday.

“NYPD put the notification over the air that they were heading towards Nassau County. We engaged with that vehicle somewhere in the area of Merrick on Sunrise Highway. At that time, the officers had boxed in the individual. The individual decided he was not going to stop. He ran through, took off two of our police cars, two of our officers they attempted to run over. They dove out of the way and that vehicle took off again,” Ryder said.

The chase continued as the driver headed further down Sunrise Highway.

“It rammed another police car on Sunrise Highway, then it jumped and went the wrong way on Sunrise Highway, then it came back into the lane and it struck a civilian car. That civilian is in the hospital being treated right now,” Ryder said.

The man got to Hicksville Road and Sunrise Highway in Massapequa, where Ryder said officers tried to take him into custody.

“Officers got out of their car to take control and arrest the individual. That individual did not comply. There was a shooting that occurred and that individual died,” said Ryder.

Two NYPD officers were injured. Five Nassau County officers were taken to the hospital; three suffered minor injuries, we’re told.

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NYC interim police commissioner says feds raided his homes

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New York City’s interim police commissioner revealed late Saturday that federal authorities had executed search warrants at his homes the previous day.

Thomas Donlon, who became the interim commissioner just one week ago after the resignation of his predecessor, issued a statement on the search through the police department.

“On Friday, September 20, federal authorities executed search warrants at my residences. They took materials that came into my possession approximately 20 years ago and are unrelated to my work with the New York City Police Department,” the statement said.

“This is not a department matter, and the department will not be commenting,” he added.

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Photos: Mass Fare Evasion at West 4th Street

Posted on by neversleep

September 18, 2024

NYPD OUT OF THE MTA: Tonight, New Yorkers stood up for their community and protested the expansion and impunity of the police occupation of their city. Last Sunday, the NYPD shot Derrell Mickles and three others after Mickles entered the platform through the emergency exit at the Sutter Ave. station in Brownsville—committing a mass shooting in one of New York City’s poorest neighborhoods. In response, hundreds of city residents conducted a mass fare evasion at the West 4th station, hopping the turnstiles to say clearly that no one should be killed for not having $2.90, that in fact the subway should be free—and free of cops.

For their part, the NYPD were once again humiliated and shown to be paper tigers when confronted by the ingenuity and mass action of the city. As dozens streamed through the gates, onto the platforms, and into the different subway cars, cops brutalized and arrested those few they could get their hands on. The people are undeterred and are committed to maintaining this form of mass action in the weeks to come.

An institution founded from the slave patrols past, the NYPD protects property and capital, it funnels black and immigrant populations into endless cycles of immiseration and poverty and modern enslavement. Our cities are under occupation: cop training facilities are flourishing all across America—we have one in our backyard near College Point Queens. These facilities advance and refine strategies of repression and counterinsurgency, so as to ensure that no mass action against oppression, incarceration, and depredation will be allowed to exist.

We must end this. Out of the homes and into the streets. Live free, ride free, fuck the NYPD.

Continue reading “Photos: Mass Fare Evasion at West 4th Street”