Arrests, journalist sprayed with pepper spray in Johnson City

Several people were arrested outside Johnson City Wegmans on Wednesday evening, and others were pepper sprayed by police, including a Press & Sun-Bulletin/pressconnects reporter.

A crowd of around 50 gathered outside the grocery store on Harry L Drive following the brutal death of Tire Nichols in Memphis by police and the arrest of Binghamton resident Hamail Waddell at the first New Year’s Day hours.

The “Justice for Tyre” protest began peacefully around 7 p.m., but police soon arrested several people. Press & Sun-Bulletin reporter Sarah Eames was pepper sprayed while covering the protest.

[Watch the video at the top of this story of our journalist being pepper-sprayed]

[This is a developing story − keep checking pressconnects.com for more details]

In a video shot by Eames on his mobile device, a Johnson City police officer tells the crowd “Stand back or you’ll get sprayed.” A second later, the officer sprays directly in Eames’ face as she shouts “I’m Press!” and brandishing his media credentials.

Members of the Johnson City Police Department, Broome County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Police Department were at the scene Wednesday night.

The Johnson City Police Department and Wegmans did not respond to requests for comment on the arrests or the incident involving Eames.

Wegmans closed the store during the protests.

What there is to know:New York Attorney General Investigating Binghamton Police Arrest of Hamail Waddell

Why the protesters came to Wegmans

According to the organizers of the event, which was promoted through social media, the protest was intended to “highlight the continued rise in racialized police violence currently plaguing the country.”

Nichols died last month after being beaten for three minutes following a traffic stop and foot chase on Jan. 7, according to body-worn camera and utility pole footage released by the Department of Memphis Police. Footage shows officers pepper spraying, kicking and punching Nichols while he was restrained, hitting him with a baton and shooting him with a stun gun.

Multiple bystander videos show Binghamton resident Waddell being handcuffed face down on the sidewalk at Hawley and Collier streets, shouting, “I can’t breathe!” as bystanders begged officer Brad Kaczynski to remove his knee from Waddell’s neck – a scene local defenders have described as similar to the events leading up to George Floyd’s death in May 2020.

Protests have emerged at several events in Binghamton

Several dozen people shut down Binghamton City Council’s first meeting of the year on Jan. 11, calling for Kaczynski’s immediate dismissal and arrest under the anti-throttling law, which establishes grounds for indictment for crime for police officers who engage in “violent strangulation”. or “criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation”.

The three Democratic members of Binghamton City Council have called for an independent third party to investigate alleged misconduct by the Binghamton Police Department on Jan. 1, under proposed legislation Jan. 23.

And several dozen community members loudly commandeered part of the public comments from the January 24 Binghamton City School District Board meeting to advocate for the removal of school resource officers from districts. local schools.

Waddell pleaded not guilty to the charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest when he was arraigned on January 18.

Reporting by Sarah Eames contributed to this story.

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