RT NewsA video has recorded a violent altercation erupting between a man on a New York City subway and police officers, who apparently arrested him for the crime of nodding off while commuting home for work.
The incident occurs at the 57th street station stop in Manhattan in a mostly-empty carriage.
The video posted to YouTube on Tuesday does not show what sparked the police confrontation, though from the man’s reaction and those who viewed and filmed the scene, he was confronted by police for sleeping on the train.
“For what? I didn’t do s***! I’m sleeping,” he cries out during the arrest, before repeating that he was going home. The arresting officers, while speaking to him throughout the incident, are mostly inaudible.
As the police struggle to gain control of the man’s arms, he repeatedly screams “for what?” as the officers tell him to “relax.”
“Ain’t no relax, ain’t no relax,” he replied. “Yo, somebody record this, record all of this” he yells out, though the camera has long since been rolling.
He manages to sit down, at which point he can be heard saying I’m coming home from work. The officers, who say he’s under arrest, get him back on his feet, at which point the struggle to subdue him heats up.
Backup eventually arrives, and as his efforts to resist intensify, a female officer appears to start hitting him over the back with a baton. Despite his determined efforts to keep from being handcuffed, he never strikes out at the officers.
“Record all of this please! I’m coming home from work, and they’re f***ing with me because I’m sleeping, and bums gotta sleep on the train.”
After more officers arrive, an officer grabs him in a clinch and manages to pull him to the ground.
The woman filming starts asking for the officers badge number, and when one of them appears to swat her recording device way, she yells “don’t put your fucking hands on me!” as she reads out badge numbers “28230″ and “30408.″
The man then says “We gonna eat,” a slang phrase for making money, suggesting that he will sue the NYPD, probably for false arrest and brutality.
As the man is dragged off the train, the woman filming the incident yells out: “I got all ya’ll, and I got your f***ing badge numbers!”
Another passenger passes her, saying in disbelief, “that’s f***ed up.”
According to sections 1050.7 (10) and (5) of the Mass Transit Authority’s (MTA) Rules of Conduct, sleeping or dozing on trains is prohibited only “if it is hazardous or interfering with fellow passengers.” It is, however, forbidden to lie down or take up more than one seat, though it is unclear from the video footage if the man was sleeping in an upright position.
Snoring, incidentally, is not illegal. While various MTA infractions can incur arrest or fines of up to $1000, it is usually left to the officer to determine what course of action to take.
Well you have to understand. He did something a officer did not like. Breaking a law has nothing to do with it in America today. Police run on I don’t like or I want. And if you don’t like and don’t break the law for me. I will beat main shoot and frame you and make your life h@ll for you. Standard oporating today for the American police. Is the I don’t like so that is my law you are under. And that is all that matters to them. Rules change with every cop so you never know what the next one don’t like as well or will do
Exactly! Hang ’em all!
The video has been removed (imagine that [sarcasm]).
I can’t believe it! 😯 lol
Someone else put the video back up:
It takes 6 cops to take one person. Pathetic.
AND WHY ISN’T ANYONE DOING ANYTHING TO HELP THIS GUY!!!!???? A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE SUBWAY CAN’T TAKE ON 6 RIDICULOUS COPS??? GRR!! 😡
I used to sleep on the subway all the time when I worked nights, and drink on the subway when I worked days, but it lost a lot of its appeal as a mode of transportation when they locked the end doors, and you couldn’t ride between the cars and smoke.
I guess it was a different world back then…. but it wasn’t too long ago. Now sleeping in the subway merits a beating for some reason.
No, “it wasn’t too long ago” JR. I use to doze off, too (as did Many people). Even had the occasional exhausted soul nod off on my shoulder (and saw it happen to others). It was NEVER a Big Deal. The subways were taken by working people. They understood.
I can tell you that I was NOT happy, and certainly didn’t feel Safer, when they started locking the doors (trapped, No Exit, no way to move from an un-airconditioned car to one with air, move from a sardine packed car to one with a seat, a car that did happen to have a homeless person camped on a seat that truly made the car stink to the point of gagging, or when alone in a car with a pervert who decided to expose himself and start…you know).
This story infuriates me. It is SO Absolutely Ridiculous and Unjust. GRRR! This Country is becoming a Police State.
Couldn’t think of a term to use above that wouldn’t be moderated. LOL I think the best way I can describe “you know” is, “chokin’ the chicken” 😉
And I should correct “is becoming” to “has become a Police State.”
A subway ride can be a different experience for girls. (sorry about the chicken-choker)
When I used to ride home late at night pretty girls would sit right next to me and start talking to me all the time.
The first couple times this happened my ego was severely inflated, and then I realized that they only did this because they were scared, and I guess they saw me as a safe escort.
Hey, JR, that the girls could see you immediately as a safe person to be with in such an impersonal situation is a great testament to you’re being an amazing human being. Give yourself some credit, man.
Here are the “charges”:
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140703/midtown/video-nypds-homeless-outreach-forcibly-removes-straphanger-for-sleeping
When all things are criminal, there are no innocents.
Still waiting for the flash point.