A group of migrants in Times Square were involved in an altercation with NYPD officers while the latter were trying to make an arrest outside a migrant shelter. The officers were assaulted by the group of men, resulting in injuries to themselves. Four of the suspects were released without bail following arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court. The incident is set to intensify the ongoing debate surrounding the migrant crisis, as it added to the growing number of violent incidents linked to migrants in the city.
The men attacked the officers outside the Candler Building after they attempted to make an arrest. One officer suffered a cut to his face during the incident. The perpetrator all live at migrant shelters in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, and had been known to hang out behind the building drinking and smoking, according to a security guard in the area.
The Police Benevolent Association decried the release of the suspects and emphasized the need for the justice system to provide more protection for police officers. Five other men are still being sought by the police and they released photos of the wanted men in the hope of finding them. The recent violent incident further highlights the ongoing issues arising from the influx of migrants in the city, with various demonstrations both supporting and opposing the migrants taking place throughout the city.
The shelter at the Candler Building, with a capacity for hundreds of migrants, has also seen the implementation of an 11 p.m. curfew by city officials in an effort to boost health and safety. The incident took place against a backdrop of controversial policy changes by the city’s administration to handle the new arrivals. Additionally, immigration policy is a key issue in the upcoming 2024 elections in the city and beyond.
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