Clash During Pride In Washington Square Park Leads To Arrests

WEST VILLAGE, NY — Some New Yorkers enjoying the annual Pride celebration on Sunday were pepper-sprayed, dragged, and arrested near Washington Square Park, photos and videos posted to social media show.

It's unclear what started the melee, but at least seven people were arrested after a confrontation between revelers and police escalated around 7:30 p.m., according to ABC7.

There were multiple reports that the NYPD pepper sprayed people in Washington Square Park after a parade-goer threw a bottle and one of the metal barricades blocking an entrance to the park was removed.

There’s talk of mace happening right now at Washington Square Park. There is a sea of cops here. pic.twitter.com/sxPqvA0dKM
— Christine Chung (@chrisychung) June 27, 2021

NYPD told ABC7 that four people were arrested for disorderly conduct, and three for assaulting police officers.

Several videos posted to Twitter show large groups of uniformed police officers dressed in riot gear assembling under the Washington Square Park arch and moving through the Lower Manhattan streets.

"Once again, police are bringing escalation and violence to Pride. Arrests, riot gear, and pepper spray have no place at a nonviolent and celebratory Pride march," the New York Civil Liberties Union tweeted Sunday night. "The SRG should stand down and allow Pride-goers to continue their celebrations. Now."

The SRG is the NYPD's Strategic Response Group, which is tasked with the immediate response to periods of civil unrest.

The violent interaction between people participating in the Queer Liberation March and NYPD officers comes after organizers of New York City's annual event banned police from marching in uniform.

The Washington Square Park backdrop has also become a recent standoff point between officers and New Yorkers as the NYPD has struggled to enforce an earlier curfew on the park after complaints about noise and disorderly conduct.