Viral video of New York police beating man sparks anger

Viral video of New York police beating man sparks anger

Mayor Zohran Mamdani orders a full probe into officers over violence against a Black man mistaken for a drug suspect.

Cell phone footage shows two NYPD officers arresting a man in a wine store and punching him in the face before kicking him on the floor. (NYCMayor/X pic)
NEW YORK:
New York’s leftist mayor condemned Wednesday a video of plainclothes police beating a man in a clip that has gone viral and prompted an official investigation.

The cell phone footage shows two officers – one in plainclothes – attempting to arrest a man in a wine store, said to be in Brooklyn, landing blows on his face and kicking him once he was on the floor.

“The violence used by NYPD officers in this video is extremely disturbing and unacceptable. Officers should never treat a person this way. The NYPD is conducting a full investigation into this incident,” New York mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on X.

The officers apparently mistook the man, who is Black, for a drug suspect after which they attempted to arrest him inside the Brooklyn store on Tuesday, the Daily News reported.

The officers have been placed on modified duty, the paper added.

“It is upsetting to view,” New York police commissioner Jessica Tisch said. “We’ll have more to say about it as that investigation unfolds.”

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