On Thursday night (Sept. 3), video captured a car driving through a group of protesters in New York City’s Times Square. Activists had gathered to mourn and demand justice for Daniel Prude, a Black man who died while in police custody in Rochester back in March.
Witnesses of the incident say that around 350 protesters were gathered in Times Square for the demonstration when a car plowed through the group. Shortly after 8 p.m. EST, video showed a black car honking at and driving through protesters before turning onto another street. Activists on foot and bicycles scream out “Medic!” as the car pushes through.
Witness accounts say multiple people were hit, though it’s unclear how many sustained injuries. On Twitter, WNYC reporter Gwynne Hogan wrote that people were “rattled” but “most were able to jump out of way.” After the incident, the march carried on as planned.
An investigation has been launched by the New York Police Department to find the driver of the car, which they say is a black Taurus sedan. ABC 6 reports that police believe the driver was involved in a separate pro-Trump rally that was held near the Black Lives Matter protest. Officers say they asked the driver to move his car so that they could create a barrier between the two demonstrations, but he accelerated through the crowd instead.
Police are asking anyone who was injured during the incident to file a police report to aid in their investigation. On Twitter, Council member Keith Powers pledged to investigate as well.
“My office is looking into tonight’s incident in Times Square. Hoping everyone is safe,” he wrote Thursday night (Sept. 3). “Using a vehicle to hurt peaceful protestors is unacceptable and must be stopped.”
See video of the car below.