On Tuesday, a video surfaced on social media of New York police officers forcefully throwing a trans femme protester into an unmarked vehicle. The encounter raised concerns since the tactics used by the officers closely resembled those of federal agents in Portland, Oregon.
NYC is taking after Portland – a trans femme protestor was pulled into an unmarked van at the Abolition Park protest – this was at 2nd Ave and 25th Street pic.twitter.com/1PDhSYuK9h
— michelle lh࿊࿊q (@MichelleLhooq) July 28, 2020
Every single one of those cops that just helped someone get kidnapped by unannounced and unmarked “police” needs to find themselves on the wrong side of a prison door.
— OdinsGhost (@GhostOdins) July 29, 2020
The New York Police Department responded to the arrest at the Black Lives Matter protest in Manhattan and stated that such detainments were not uncommon. They also claimed that federal agents were not present at the time of the arrest.
Nikki, identified by friends as an 18-year-old homeless trans woman, “was wanted for damaging police cameras during five separate criminal incidents in and around City Hall Park,” according to Sgt. Mary Frances O’Donnell.
In regard to a video on social media that took place at 2 Ave & 25 St, a woman taken into custody in an unmarked van was wanted for damaging police cameras during 5 separate criminal incidents in & around City Hall Park. The arresting officers were assaulted with rocks & bottles. pic.twitter.com/2jGD3DT3eV
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 29, 2020
When officers from the Warrant Squad took the woman into custody in a gray NYPD minivan this evening, they were assaulted with rocks and bottles. The Warrant Squad uses unmarked vehicles to effectively locate wanted suspects.
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 29, 2020
When she was placed into the Warrant Squad’s unmarked gray minivan, it was behind a cordon of NYPD bicycle cops in bright yellow and blue uniform shirts there to help effect the arrest.
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 29, 2020
Critics on social media believed that the arrest and kidnapping were unwarranted, and questioned why Nikki’s whereabouts and the reason for her arrest was withheld from the public. By Wednesday morning, the hashtag #WhereIsNikki was trending on Twitter.
ONE WEEK APART???? WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP #whereisnikki @NYCMayor pic.twitter.com/Xm90sziozl
— penjamin (@penjaminyursa) July 29, 2020
so they kidnapped a young trans woman who organized a protest. trump’s army of animals need to be locked in cages
#whereisnikki pic.twitter.com/YoMxvaCXx2— Francisco Delgado (@Francis8Delgado) July 29, 2020
Councilwoman Carlina Rivera followed Nikki’s case closely and confirmed late last night that she was released. However, with President Trump’s promises of federal agents policing the city, Rivera challenged the NYC Mayor to address the unidentified officers and unmarked vans.
We’ve just received confirmation that Nikki has been released. Thank you to all the advocates who have been bringing support and attention. Now it’s time to hear from @NYCMayor about how he will address this arrest and the future of unidentifiable policing in NYC.
— Carlina Rivera 利華娜 (@CarlinaRivera) July 29, 2020
