Felix Rivera-Pitre slow motion struck by NY Police Occupy Wall Street 10/14/11

During the chaotic Occupy Wall Street march through the financial district this morning, we witnessed a protester on William Street get punched in the face by a police officer, seemingly without provocation. He says the officer hit him so hard his earring got knocked out, but he managed to escape arrest. We caught up with the protester later: his name is Felix Rivera-Pitre, and he told us what happened and how he got away.

Rivera-Pitre, who is HIV positive and used to be a dancer, tells us he was walking a little bit in front of the police on William Street, and admits he "shot the cop a look." But then, according to Rivera-Pitre (and this is in line with what we witnessed), "The cop just lunged at me full throttle and hit me on the left side of my face. It tore my earring out. I remember seeing my earring on the ground next to me and it was full of blood. I was completely dumbstruck. I'm HIV positive and that cop should get tested."

Asked how he escaped, Rivera-Pitre says, "The cops were pulling me by my feet and the crowd was pulling me by my hands, and I was suspended in the air. But there were more people than cops, and they pulled me out." The police were seen searching for Rivera-Pitre in the crowd, but somehow he managed to slip away.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• New York
• Police
• brutality
• Police brutality
• Wall Street
• New York City
• Nyc
• flower
• child
• hippy
• Crime
• Cops
• slow
• motion

[mmencke187]

Bad cop!

No donut for you!!!

[dynamicmaxwell120]

It's not a swipe, he was turned around by the cop and he extended his arms to balance himself. Which the cop took it upon himself to assault the protester saying it was a slap. Even if it was a slap, the man doesn't deserve to be assaulted.

[jondoe1985]

@onebluebear bets video i've seen.finally someone shows what happened before the sucker punch..that cop attacked that dude for no reason..this is the evidence plain as the eyes can see..thanx for showing that first angle, it was driving me crazy no one had that first shot..

[TheBahpoopie]

Settle down people he didnt slap the officers face, the officer stuck his hands in the face of the dude in green, and he slapped his hands away in self defense. He didnt touch his face.

[DjS5401]

fat piece of shit cop

[liamcear12]

I support OWS 100% could not tell if the cop was slapped or not clearly but if he was, regardless he had the right to strike back and believe me nobody hates the NYPD more than me I can assure you that.

[neil4uk]

@CaptainFrisko you talk shit!

[EsotericOpinion]

@LittleBlindSpider Freeze it at 1:00 into the video. Perfect shot of Pitre slapping the Officer. That's a big no-no. The Officer has every right to put him on his ass.

[8ball2049]

Guy down below is right. You can see pitres hand just coming off the cops face when it pans upward. Not saying the cop had the right to hit him tho. But if I was the cop that would be my first instinct

[LittleBlindSpider]

I didn't see anyone except for the officer become physically aggressive. I have watched the clip over and over and the only thing I noticed is the "look" Pitre gave, and as the officer was going in to smash his face in, he put up his arms to block the attack.

I did not say "ANYONE" deserves HIV... I just believe that this cop went overboard and if he ends up getting HIV because he caused a man who is HIV Positive to bleed by being arrogant, power hungry and violent, then it's his FAULT.