Dramatic surveillance footage shows two police officers trying to break up what they described as a disorderly group of people near a migrant shelter in Times Square over the weekend.
In the footage, men are seen repeatedly kicking and punching the police officers in the head and body.
The NYPD says the group then fled on foot. Six of the men were eventually caught, including one Wednesday night.
Law enforcement officials say they are outraged by the alleged assault.
“You want to know why our cops are getting assaulted? There’s no consequences. And we must change this. End of story,” said John Chell, the NYPD’s chief of patrol.
Gov. Kathy Hochul commented on the incident Wednesday while speaking to reporters in Albany.
“These are law enforcement officers who should never, under any circumstances, be subjected to physical assault. It’s wrong on all accounts. And I’m looking to judges and prosecutors to do the right thing,” Hochul said.
There has been a rise in the number of assaults against NYPD officers on the streets, according to the department.
“We are seeing an uptick in assaults on our police officers. That’s because our police officers are engaging more individuals that commit criminal activities. And you know what? If some want to fight, and they want to tackle officers, so we’re gonna respond accordingly,” said Kaz Daughtry, the NYPD’s assistant commissioner.
In a show of force Wednesday, dozens of NYPD officers took to the streets to help find the other suspects still on the loose.
“They’re on a special mission tonight,” Daughtry said. “We’re not going to sit idly by and let individuals that assault our officers think they can just walk the streets of New York without any consequences.”
The men who have already been arrested face various charges, including assault, gang assault and disorderly conduct.
The involved officers were not seriously injured. The NYPD was not able to confirm Wednesday if any of the arrested men are migrants or asylum seekers.