NYPD cops take a knee beside protesters in moment of solidarity in Queens

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Just hours after violent protests over the death of George Floyd rocked the city leading to hundreds of arrests, NYPD officers in Queens and later, in Manhattan, took a knee beside demonstrators on Sunday.

 

Video posted on Facebook shows at least three officers kneeling in the street at the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and 165th Street around noon as protesters cheer them on and thank them.

 

The cops, with heads bowed, then joined in on a reading of the names of black men and women who have died at the hands of police.

 

Protesters and the officers could then be seen shaking hands and hugging.

 

[Please visit the source page to see the video here.]

 

“Yes. This is how we unite as one,” one person commented.

 

Later, on Sunday evening, thousands of protesters gathered in Foley Square in Lower Manhattan, chanted “NYPD, take a knee” at officers.

 

After some prodding from the crowd, at least four cops knelt and were met with raucous cheers, video posted on social media shows.

 

Aleeia Abraham, president of community group BlaQue Resources Network, which helped to organize the earlier Queens protest, said the moment of unity there was “very surprising.”

 

“None of us had ever seen anything like that,” she told The Post. “In that moment, they understood why we were so mad.”

 

The cops had been invited to kneel by the pastor of The Excelling Church, which also helped to organize the protest, Abraham said.

 

“Hopefully they can set an example for the rest of law enforcement of how to deal with protesters,” she said.

 

The office of acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee shared the video on Twitter, adding: “YES. THIS is what de-escalation looks like. Trust.”

 

“Have yet to see this anywhere else in #NYC. We need more of this now, Mr. @NYCMayor,” the tweet read.

 

The moment of solidarity took place after a day and night of tense protests across the five boroughs that resulted in at least 345 arrests and 33 cops injured.

 

Abraham said that “the kneeling is nice, it’s a start.”

 

“But we want action.”

 

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