State Watch

Motorist plows into NYC pedestrians during protest

New York Police Department officers responded to calls Friday after a motorist plowed into protestors.

The group of about 40-50 people was allegedly engaged in a protest at the time of the incident.

Mixed reports have surfaced over what the group was protesting. ABC7 reported it was a Black Lives Matter protest while CBS New York stated the group was standing in solidarity with inmates at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement center in Bergen County, N.J.

Reports say the car drove into the crowd at 3rd Avenue and East 39th Street just after 4 p.m. after the protests moved into the street.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the driver struck the pedestrians on purpose, but both the driver and car remained on the scene for questioning after police arrived.

At least six people were hurt during the incident and some were taken to the hospital, though their conditions were unknown, according to CBS New York.

“People have a right to peacefully assemble and protest without getting run over, and someone should be accountable when they can’t,” tweeted state Sen. Mike Gianaris (D).

Updated: Dec. 12 at 1:35 p.m.