Yesterday's peaceful protests turned chaotic in the late-night hours as demonstrators set fire to nearly a dozen NYPD vehicles around Union Square... it marked the end of the third day of protests against racist police violence in the aftermath of George Floyd's death Monday in Minneapolis.
EVG contributor Stacie Joy surveyed the scene this morning around Union Square, including on University Place where many of the police vehicles — specifically the Homeless Outreach vans — had been parked.
Most of the damage to East Village businesses last night occurred on Second Avenue between Houston and 12th Street. There were a few exceptions — the Mattress Firm at 250 E. Houston St. ... as well as the 7-Eleven on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.
EVG contributor Stacie Joy took these photos this morning, showing that the front doors were smashed by unknown objects...
There were other reports of damaged businesses nearby on Broadway and University Place. NBC 4 reported that the North Face and Adidas stores on Broadway were also looted.
Yesterday's mostly peaceful protests turned ugly last night, as demonstrators broke windows along Second Avenue and Broadway, and set fire to multiple police vehicles around Union Square.
Citywide, NBC 4 reported that 345 people were arrested and 33 police officers injured as the protestors and cops clashed late night around several different hotspots, including Union Square.
Along Second Avenue between Houston and 14th Street, windows of each bank branch were smashed ... as well as at the Verizon store and Urban Outfitters. Bus stops and LinkNYC kiosks were also vandalized. In addition, trash cans were upturned and tossed into Second Avenue. There were also reports of several mattress fires ...
[Photo by Steven]
[TD Bank at 1st Street via Stacie Joy]
Smaller businesses were also hit: The front windows were broken at Kona Coffee and Company between Third Street and Fourth Street, The Gray Mare between Third Street and Fourth Street, Plant Food & Wine at Fourth Street, Cooper's Craft & Kitchen at Fifth Street, Le Fournil Bakery at Seventh Street and B&H between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.
The protests, which took place in all five boroughs, were in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis while in police custody.
A handful of protestors — said to be remants of the day's early peaceful demonstrators — smashed windows along Second Avenue last night. Le Fournil, the French bakery at 115 Second Ave. at Seventh Street, was among the local businesses to suffer damage.
[Reader-submitted photo]
[Photo this morning by Steven]
There were unconfirmed reports that someone attempted to start a fire out front. (Several trash cans and mattresses along the Avenue were set ablaze.)
Ownership shared this on the Le Fournil Instagram account...
Protestors fanned out across the city today, including two groups who marched through the East Village late this afternoon.
The protests, like others around the country and NYC in recent days, were sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis this past Monday.
One group, numbering in the hundreds, entered Tompkins Square Park at Ninth Street... and exited on Seventh Street and Avenue B... Steven shared these photos...
Another group, numbering at least 1,000, with a large NYPD presence following along, entered the East Village via Second Avenue.... EVG reader Ben Lebovitz shared these photos on Second Avenue between Fifth Street and Sixth Street...
The blocks-long assemblage turned on Seventh Street, then went south on First Avenue... these reader photos show the size of the crowd on First Avenue ...
... who stopped on Fifth Street, shouting "Black lives matter" and, "No justice, no peace." The NYPD had blocked off Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue, the location of the 9th Precinct.
While the groups in the East Village early this evening were described as peaceful by passersby, ABC 7 reported that there were at least three dozen arrests in the city today related to the various protests.
There are now reports of broken windows along Second Avenue (the TD Bank location at First Street and Le Fournil Bakery at Seventh Street). There are also reports of several burning vehicles around Union Square.
— Jessica Cunnington (@JessicaNews12) May 31, 2020
My photographer Greg Giglione just took this video of two NYPD Vans being lit on fire, near Union Square. A police officer yells that there are bullets inside and for everyone to stay back. We have heard several mini explosions. @CBSNewYorkpic.twitter.com/cl9yLCtLkE
— Natalie Duddridge (@NatDuddridgeTV) May 31, 2020
A welcome sight on Avenue A ... Blanche’s Lucy’s Tavern — aka Lucy’s — is back open now for take-home drinks here at 135 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street... EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by to say hello to proprietor Ludwika "Lucy" Mickevicius, who's serving drinks from a to-go table at the front door...
You can't go inside the longtime bar, where Lucy has been these past 40 years ... but Stacie did get the grand tour (including the basement!)... we'll post those photos at a later date...
