A man who was later identified by police as a Trump supporter plowed his car through a large group of Black Lives Matter protesters on Thursday night on 46th Street in New York City's Times Square, sending bicycles and people scattering. Police reported that no one was hurt.
The BLM protest was being held in response to the Rochester police murder of Daniel Prude, whose death by asphyxiation at the hands of seven officers in March was reported this week.
NBC New York reports: “Earlier in the evening, police surrounded a small group of counterprotesters wearing ‘Keep America Great' hats, and the groups exchanged heated words. The driver in the sedan was later found to be a part of the group of counterprotesters, police said. Cops added that Black Lives Matter protesters threw things at the car as it was leaving, prompting the driver to plow down the street. With the incident caught on camera, people started speculating whether the vehicle was an unmarked police car because it had a push bar, also commonly known as a bullbar or push bumper, that's found on NYPD vehicles and other SUVs. Police denied the accusation in a tweet, saying ‘This auto is NOT an NYPD vehicle.'”
Others disagree.