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Pro-Police Protesters Face-off Against Anti-Police Brutality Protesters

By  Sybile Penhirin and Janon Fisher | December 19, 2014 8:00pm 

 Pro-police protesters faced-off against anti-police brutality protesters in front of 1 Police Plaza on Dec. 19, 2014.
Dueling police protests
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ONE POLICE PLAZA — About a hundred pro-police demonstrators braved the cold Friday night to shout down an equal number of anti-police brutality protesters in front of police headquarters.

"Police officers are good people," said Stephanie Charczenko, of the East Village, standing behind a police barricade about 10 feet from her ideological opponents. "They're protecting us. Yes there's been a few incidents and it's sad and unfortunate. But they are the best police in the world"

Some in the group supporting police wore T-shirts that read, "I can breathe" on the front and "Thanks to the NYPD" on the back — a reference to Eric Garner, the Staten Island man who died in July from a police chokehold while being arrested for selling loose cigarettes.

Garner can be heard on a video of his arrest saying, "I can't breathe."

Other pro-police protesters held placards that read, "I support the NYPD" and "Hands up, so you can breathe."

"I'm very disappointed and sad that nobody is backing up the police officers," said Carmen Santacruz, 27, a Brooklyn social worker. "That's why I came here today."

On the other side, the demonstrators where just as passionate about their cause.

"A pro-police rally is like a pro-brutality rally," said Jessica Rowashandel, 33, a social workers from Long Island. "They want to scare us but I came here today to show them we won't be sacred. I was so sad and upset when I heard about (the rally), it's like they're spitting in the face of the people who have suffered and who have died because of police brutality. They just don't care about it and it's hurtful"