A rally held in New York City against Covid-19 measures devolved into shouting matches and scuffles as police tried to separate anti-lockdown activists and counter-demonstrators.
Several dozen people gathered at Union Square on Saturday to voice their anger over the pandemic restrictions. Some protesters were seen wearing patriotic costumes and MAGA hats as they listened to impromptu speeches by members of the crowd.
Although attendance was low when compared to coinciding rallies held in London and other cities around the world, the event led to confrontations between activists and disapproving spectators.
One clip shows two men fighting over what appears to be an American flag.
“Tell him to let it go or I’ll punch,” one of the individuals is heard shouting as the pair throw punches at each other.
Several police officers then intervene and separate the brawlers. After the brief skirmish, one of the men engaged in an expletive-laced argument with a woman wearing a ‘Biden is not my president’ shirt.
In a separate video, two pairs of men are seen wrestling on the ground. While one of the fights breaks up quickly, the other two individuals continue to brawl. Eventually, one of them is put in a headlock. Bystanders then pull the men apart. It’s unclear if the fights resulted in arrests.
New York saw several different protests on Saturday. Elsewhere in the city, residents took part in a ‘tax the rich’ march, and also attended dueling rallies against and in support of Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has come under fire for his response to Covid-19, as well as a string of sexual harassment allegations.
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