EAST HARLEM — A man was caught on cellphone video punching a police officer while resisting arrest after being asked for his ID at 124th Street and Lexington Avenue.
The tense confrontation, which was recorded and posted to Facebook, happened in front of a recycling station outside the Pathmark about 3 p.m. on July 31, according to the NYPD.
Kyle Mcfarlane, 34, was working at the station when he got into a heated argument with someone on the street, according to the criminal complaint.
After an officer stepped in and broke up the dispute, Mcfarlane shoved him in the chest. At one point he said, "F--- the cops, you're idiots, you don't do s---," prosecutors charge.
The officer and his partner then asked to see Mcfarlane's ID so that they could write him a disorderly conduct summons, the police said.
The video, which has been viewed more than 900,000 times on Facebook, starts when officers are asking for the identification. Mcfarlane closes half of the recycling station and says "When I close up, I'm going to give you my ID."
Officers asked him for his ID at least 10 times and called for backup, prosecutors said.
When backup arrived, the video shows, a group of five officers shoved Mcfarlane to the ground and tried to arrest him. The recording also shows that Mcfarlane punched one of the officers twice in the face on the ground.
A large crowd protests the officer's movement, some calling it "excessive." The video shows one officer pointing pepper spray at the crowd and asking them to step back. The officer did not use the pepper spray on anyone.
Mcfarlane was charged with assaulting an officer. He was released on bail and is due in court Thursday, records show.
Attempts to contact his attorney were not successful.
