NYPD police cruisers lurch through group of demonstrators protesting Floyd’s death

Two New York Police Department vehicles appeared to lurch through a crowd of protesters in New York Saturday night as demonstrations grew violent throughout the city over the death of George Floyd, according to multiple reports.

Videos of the incident circulated online Saturday.

Protesters appear to place a barrier in front of one NYPD SUV that pulled up to a crowd. Another police vehicle can then be seen pulling as protesters throw things and hit the cars with their hands. The first vehicle pulled forward and hits protesters, with the second vehicle following suit moments later. 

The incident took place in Brooklyn at approximately 8 p.m, according to NBC New York.

It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries, NBC News reported.

Wtf!!! #BlacklivesMaters #brooklynprotest pic.twitter.com/S1oet8JC0x

— Pierre G. (@pgarapon) May 31, 2020

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) slammed the police department shortly after the footage surfaced. The freshman representative retweeted the video, sharing, “NYPD officers just drove an SUV into a crowd of human beings. They could‘ve killed them, & we don’t know how many they injured.”

“NO ONE gets to slam an SUV through a crowd of human beings,” she continued. “@NYCMayor these officers need to be brought to justice, not dismissed w/’internal reviews.'”

NYPD officers just drove an SUV into a crowd of human beings. They could‘ve killed them, &we don’t know how many they injured.

NO ONE gets to slam an SUV through a crowd of human beings.@NYCMayor these officers need to be brought to justice, not dismissed w/“internal reviews.” https://t.co/oIaBShSC1S

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 31, 2020

The incident comes as protests have escalated into violence, fires, arrests and vandalism in cities across the country over the Floyd’s death.

Floyd, an unarmed black man, died earlier this week in Minneapolis after being pinned down by officers during an arrest. In bystander video, former officer Derek Chauvin can be seen with his knee on Floyd’s neck as he pleads for air. Several minutes into the arrest, Chauvin does not take his knee off of the man’s neck, and eventually Floyd’s body is unresponsive. 

Floyd was pronounced dead 90 minutes after his arrest. 

Chauvin was later arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. 

The Hill has reached out to the NYPD for comment.