NEW YORK (Reuters) – A New York City police officer who shoved a demonstrator to the ground during a protest against police brutality has been criminally charged over his alleged conduct, the Brooklyn district attorney’s office said on Tuesday.
Vincent D’Andraia, 28, who works in the 73rd precinct in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, was charged with misdemeanor assault, criminal mischief and menacing, as well as harassment, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said.
A lawyer for the defendant could not immediately be reached for comment.
D’Andraia’s arrest appears to be the first of a New York City police officer arising from two weeks of protests after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis police custody sparked worldwide protests against racism.
The case arose from a protest near the Barclays Center arena in downtown Brooklyn on May 29, four days after Floyd’s death.
Cellphone video showed D’Andraia appearing to shove a 20-year-old demonstrator, identified in several media reports as Dounya Zayer, to the ground and calling her a derogatory name.
The district attorney said the shove came after the victim asked D’Andraia why he told her to get out of the street.
D’Andraia is expected to appear later Tuesday in Brooklyn Criminal Court, a spokesman for Gonzalez said.
Floyd died after a white officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes in an incident also recorded on video. That officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged last week with second degree murder.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
