Car plows into protesters at New York City Black Lives Matter demonstration
Woman, 52, who plowed her BMW through crowd of BLM protesters leaving six injured is issued with a desk appearance ticket and released within hours by NYPD
- Kathleen Casillo accelerated her BMW into a crowd of protesters in Manhattan
- She was detained a short distance from the scene and issued with a desk appearance ticket by the NYPD, before being released
- She could face up to a year in prison on reckless endangerment charges
- Six protesters were left with non life-threatening injuries after being struck by Casillo's sedan
- Demonstrators were gathered in support of detainees at New Jersey ICE facility
- Casillo says she attempted to flee the scene in fear for her life after demonstrators surrounded her car and began taunting her
- She will appear in court next year
UPDATED: 22:56 GMT, 12 December 2020
A Queens woman who allegedly plowed her BMW into a crowd of 50 Black Lives Matter protesters in midtown Manhattan was only issued with a desk appearance ticket by NYPD cops and was released within hours.
Six people sustained non life-threatening injuries after Kathleen Casillo accelerated her BMW sedan into the group assembled at East 39th Street and Third Avenue on Friday afternoon.
Casillo, 52, was detained near the scene and taken into custody by officers - but was out within hours after being given a ticket, the New York Post reports.
She faces up to a year in prison after being charged with reckless endangerment, and is set to appear in court on February 22.
Casillo had her 29-year-old daughter in her car at the time she drove into the protesters who were gathered to support a hunger strike inside an ICE detention center.
According to TMZ, Casillo says the activists surrounded her car as it slowed along the street, before they began pounding on the pricey vehicle.
She claims that protesters then began screaming 'White privilege b***h', prompting her to fear for her life and flee from the scene.
Casillo reportedly does not recall hitting anybody as she put her foot down on the accelerator to escape the fracas.
Six people sustained non life-threatening injuries after Kathleen Casillo (pictured) accelerated her BMW sedan into the group assembled at East 39th Street and Third Avenue on Friday afternoon. She has been charged with reckless endangerment
Casillo's BMW sedan is seen with its windshield smashed in after she struck several protesters on Friday afternoon
Bikes lie on the ground after a car struck multiple protesters in Manhattan gathered in support of people on hunger strike in an ICE detention center
An injured protester is seen being loaded into an ambulance following the incident which left six people in hospital
A protester holds up their mangled bicycle after they were struck by the vehicle Friday
Most of those injured were transported to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.
Police also detained and charged another woman at the scene of the protest after she allegedly attempted to interfere with an EMT giving medical aid to one of the injured demonstrators.
That woman was charged with disorderly conduct and obstruction of governmental administration.
The group of protesters were holding a demonstration in support of those on hunger strike at an ICE facility in Bergen County, New Jersey.
Multiple people being held in the government facility have gone without food for four weeks now to draw attention to their poor treatment in the facility.
Some 50 protesters were demonstrating in the area, according to WABC-TV
Smartphone footage circulated on social media shows dozens of protesters holding banners in the road at the intersection of East 39th Street and Third Avenue.
Around four pedestrians are then seen gathered around the BMW that appears to have slowed to a stop.
Two demonstrators can be seen banging on the side of the car - appearing to corroborate Casillo's story.
Other protesters can be heard screaming as the car then speeds down the street after knocking down pedestrians and a person on a bike.
Officers gather around Casillo's black BMW after she was taken away for questioning
Numerous FDNY vehicles, ambulances and police cars were on the scene Friday afternoon as the investigation continued
Several ambulances and emergency vehicles were seen at East 39th Street and Third Avenue in Manhattan just after 4pm on Friday
Dozens of officers and emergency personnel are gathered at the scene of the collision Friday
Emergency personnel remain on the scene where pedestrians were struck by the car as night falls in the city
According to initial reports from the scene, a motorist plowed into a group of protesters at an intersection
Source: The Daily MailFOR MORE NEWS GO TO:
Woman, 52, who plowed her BMW through crowd of BLM protesters leaving six injured is issued with a desk appearance ticket and released within hours by NYPD
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9047067/NYC-woman-52-charged-plowing-BMW-crowd-protesters-leaving-six-injured.html
