Well, this seemed rather excessive. In New York, a man was violently arrested by an NYPD officer for skateboarding in Columbus Circle. A video of the arrest shows the officer using a chokehold and pepper-spraying the skateboarder to subdue him.
Video: Cop Uses Chokehold, Pepper Spray To Take Down Skateboarder In Columbus Circle
The video, recorded in Columbus Circle on Sunday afternoon, shows the officer forcing 22-year-old Yibin Mu off his skateboard with his forearm, throwing him to the ground face-first, straddling his neck and pinning him down from behind. He then draws his pepper spray and sprays Mu in the face.
Mu uploaded video of the arrest to YouTube:
According to Mu's account:
This occurred at 59th Columbus Circle on 10.25.15 around 4:55pm.
Without warning, the police officer used one hand to grab my forearm and the other hand to grab the back of my neck. He then put me in a chokehold and this is what happened next. I was non-aggressive the entire time. My name is Yibin Mu and I'm tired of abusive cops.
The officer is named Gill, badge number 19646 who works at the Midtown North Precinct. 18th Precinct. Whether his badge number is real or not I do not know.
The NYPD confirmed that Mu was arrested Sunday for skateboarding in Columbus Circle, which is prohibited. According to a spokesman, the arresting officer asked Mu to sit down so he could write a summons:
According to the NYPD, the arresting officer asked Mu to sit down so he could write a summons. Detective Sessa said that according to the officer's arrest report, Mu "refused to sit down and ignored him. The officer informed him that he was placing him under arrest, and attempted to take him into custody, and the defendant fought with the officer."
No injuries were noted on the arrest report, despite video showing the arresting officer using pepper spray on Mu. He was charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, failure to comply with a posted sign, and defacing park property.
Skateboarding is not allowed in the park. All right. But that gets you a $50-$100 fine, right? I don't understand how that gets your ass tackled, thrown to the ground and pepper sprayed in the face.
Mu, a sophomore at Queens College, is due in court on December 16.
More here: VIDEO: Police Tackle, Pepper-Spray Skateboarder in Columbus Circle