I am totally gobsmacked by this footage – I know it’s widely reported that these events can build up resentment and animosity, and I’m no CM advocate, but this kind of violence is reprehensible, even more so because it came from a Police Officer (Patrick Pogan) who maintained in his statement that the cyclist (Christopher Long) was to blame:
“[Christopher Long] steered the … bicycle in the direction of [Officer Pogan] and drove the bicycle directly into [Officer Pogan]‘s body, causing [Officer Pogan] to fall to the ground and causing [Officer Pogan] to suffer lacerations on [his] forearms.”
The Manhattan attorney’s office filed charges of “attempted assault in the 3rd Degree” against Chris Long as a result of Pogan’s statement. After his arrest, Chris Long spent 26 hours in jail as a result of the charges files against him.
More coverage on the incident by The New York Times (with an update here) and Gothamist (with update here).
View Pogan’s statement on Chris Long’s arrest record below or download it as a pdf.
Shocking, just shocking. Hopefully, the existance of this footage will secure a conviction against the officer and a hefty compensation payment for the cyclist in question.