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After a hopeful start to protests early Sunday evening —with some police even kneeling with demonstrators— the scene at Barclays Center once again devolved into violence after hundreds of police reportedly reacted to being struck with water bottles and debris and chased down demonstrators.
The entrance plaza in front of the Nets arena has now been the scene of protests for three days with thousands arriving by subway and by foot.
Here’s a Twitter timeline of the events...
Brooklyn North Chief Jeffrey Maddrey and NYPD Transit Bureau Chief Ed Delatorre were seen kneeling with protesters tonight in Brooklyn. The peaceful gesture was broken up just mere minutes later when bottles were thrown into the crowd. https://t.co/Swpd7jPM1F pic.twitter.com/sA4nmgtK14
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) June 1, 2020
Some minor violence breaking out at the Barclays Center.
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) June 1, 2020
A protestor hurls a water bottle towards NYPD, which hits a cameraman.
Organizers throwing themselves in front of NYPD to defend them, mitigate violence #nycprotest pic.twitter.com/wMYZnx0UrW
NYPD calling a level 3 mobilization at 620 Atlantic at barclays.
— NYC Scanner (@NYScanner) June 1, 2020
Violence is breaking out btwn cops and demonstrators at the Barclays Center #nycprotests pic.twitter.com/Nug9DKAo9j
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) June 1, 2020
BREAKING: NYPD now making arrests at the Barclays Center@PIX11News pic.twitter.com/Uu5j2QiQ9V
— Cristian Benavides (@cbenavidesTV) June 1, 2020
More units heading to Barclays Center #brooklynprotest pic.twitter.com/bP57iAWVXi
— Eileen Norton (@eileennorton) June 1, 2020
NYPD Units Requesting All Available Units To The @barclayscenter For Mass Riots. Brooklyn North Captain Calling A Level 3 Mobilization. #GeorgeFloydProtests #GeorgeFloyd #protests2020 #riots2020 #BarclaysCenter pic.twitter.com/CYbj1eTRNq
— NYC Riots Locations (Not Official) (@NYC_Riots) June 1, 2020
NYPD advance from barclays center to target in Atlantic terminal pic.twitter.com/d171QsmRdY
— The Kominas (@TheRealKominas) June 1, 2020
Barclays Center, New York.pic.twitter.com/ZjhzHvdwZA
— Bedrettin (@bedbolukbasi) June 1, 2020
#NYPD are chasing protesters down Flatbush Ave in #Brooklyn. Crowds running past a now boarded up Apple store near the #BarclaysCenter. pic.twitter.com/1YnBLWwXue
— Sean M. Gates (@gatesseanm) June 1, 2020
Barclays Center is surroundedpic.twitter.com/MsDZ9YnME4
— Billy Reinhardt (@BillyReinhardt) June 1, 2020
The demonstrations followed Sunday’s statement by elements of Joe Tsai’s BSE Global, parent company of the arena, the Brooklyn and Long Island Nets as well as the New York Liberty. Tsai and his wife, Clara, along with Oliver Weisberg, the Nets and Barclays interim CEO; Sean Marks, the Nets GM; Alton Byrd, the vice president for business operations for Long Island; Keia Clarke, COO of the New York Liberty and Jonathan Kolb, the Liberty GM.
Meanwhile, a Nets insider tells NetsDaily that Tsai will continue to pay and provide medical benefits to hourly workers at Barclays Center. Shortly after the NBA shut down, Tsai had agreed to extend pay and benefits through the end of May. A new timetable hasn’t been disclosed.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionescu, the Liberty’s No. 1 draft pick, added to the commentary in a tweet later Sunday, offering her support for Black Lives Matter.
It’s time for change pic.twitter.com/2HkzNY3mtw
— Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i20) June 1, 2020
In addition, it was reported that Justin Anderson, who plays for the Long Island Nets (and a 10-day player for Brooklyn) accompanied Malcolm Brogdon and Jaylen Brown to Atlanta for a peaceful demonstration over the weekend. Brogdon, Anderson and Joe Harris were all teammates at Virginia.
Our own Matt Brooks who has participated in the protests tweeted this Sunday...
If you are spending more of your time thinking and tweeting about destruction of property than the actual black lives movement and the loss of human INNOCENT lives, congrats, you are part of the problem. If that upsets you and makes you feel some type of way, unfollow. Please.
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) June 1, 2020
No indication yet on whether the protests will continue Monday at Barclays, but it appears the NYPD has made the entrance plaza a priority.
Looks like four helicopters in the area by the Barclays Center now pic.twitter.com/mQBe28n1cu
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) June 1, 2020
Police seem to outnumber protesters here at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. pic.twitter.com/cc14J2pRMV
— Jon Campbell (@j0ncampbell) June 1, 2020
- Language of the unheard: Weekend brings outraged street confrontations with police - Brooklyn Eagle
- Police and demonstrators clashed in Lower Manhattan and at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn - New York Times
- NYPD Officers Kneel In Solidarity With Demonstrators During George Floyd Protests - Mack Rosenberg - WCBS
- 250 arrested as fires set, stores looted in NYC after 4th day of protests - WINS
- With Barclays as focal point for protest, arena/Nets denounce racial discrimination, pledge progress; will they offer donations, continue worker pay? - Norman Oder - Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Report