New York City police officer who shoved protester charged with assault

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A New York City police officer who was recorded on video shoving a woman to the ground during a protest against police brutality was criminally charged on Tuesday over the incident.

Vincent D’Andraia, 28, who works in the 73rd precinct in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, was charged with misdemeanor assault, criminal mischief and menacing, as well as harassment, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said.

The criminal case is the first against a New York City police officer arising from two weeks of protests after the May 25 death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis police custody sparked worldwide protests against racism.

D’Andraia, who had last week been suspended without pay, faces a maximum one-year prison term on the top count.

He made a brief appearance on Tuesday at a Brooklyn Criminal Court hearing. No bail was set. His lawyer was not available to comment.

The case arose from a May 29 protest near the Barclays Center arena in downtown Brooklyn.

Cellphone video showed D’Andraia appearing to shove 20-year-old Dounya Zayer to the ground and calling her a derogatory name.

Zayer, who posted her own video from the incident online, has said D’Andraia shoved her after she asked him why he told her to move off the street. She said she suffered a concussion and has had seizures.

“The charges are a step in the right direction,” Zayer’s lawyer Tahanie Aboushi said. “Dounya was assaulted for the very reason she was protesting – police brutality.”

Gonzalez said he could not tolerate excessive force toward peaceful protesters. “This is especially true of those who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law,” he said.

Floyd died after a white officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes, in an incident also recorded on video.

Chauvin was charged last week with second degree murder.