CITY HALL — A group of about 25 angry protesters were kicked out of City Hall and a woman was arrested after they repeatedly shouted throughout Police Commissioner William Bratton’s budget testimony before the City Council Thursday morning, police sources said.
The protesters had several outbursts during the hearing as Bratton spoke — one woman yelled “Community policing is a genocide” and others chanted “Broken Windows has to go,” referring to Bratton's signature anti-crime initiative, according to the New York Post.
Four protesters in succession yelled grievances at Bratton, then were quickly escorted out of the hearing, police sources said. But, after a fifth person called out, all public visitors were ordered out of the hearing, sources said. Press were allowed to stay, according to sources.
The fifth protester, a woman, refused to leave, sitting on the floor, according to police sources.
Police forcibly removed her and all the remaining visitors from the Council room. One woman was arrested as she was escorted out of City Hall, police sources said.
Bratton, however, did not seem rattled by the whole incident and continued to testify after the protesters were cleared out.
“As Jimmy Durante used to say, ‘Everybody wants to get in on the act,'” Bratton said with a smile, according to the New York Observer.
