A peaceful protest in Harlem erupted in violence Saturday afternoon, when multiple marchers attacked an occupied police van, hurling objects at it and breaking its windows.
Some 1,000 protesters had rallied without incident at the corner of 125th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard to decry the police custody death of George Floyd — but factions began splintering off at around 1 p.m.
One group attacked the van at Madison Avenue between 118th and 119th — and continued to hurl objects even after breaking windows on three sides.
A lone police officer remained in the van as four or five shouting protesters surrounded it, with their hands on the vehicles’s front hood.
At some point the uniformed officer was able to get out of the van — and some protesters tried to help the cop by surrounding him to keep more violent protesters away.
After a few harrowing minutes, the cop was led away by arriving officers. It was unclear if injuries resulted.
Throughout, protested taunted, “No justice, no peace,” and “F— the police!”
One young woman took her mask off and coughed toward the group of officers.
