HIV Positive Protester Says Cop Who Punched Him Should Get Tested

[meegbear]

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.

Rivera-Pitre said he was participating in march because "my housing has been affected by the economy." He currently lives at the YMCA at Jamaica Queens, works for Vocal New York, and tries to get by on $300 a month now that his health benefits have been cut back. But after meeting Rivera-Pitre, we're suddenly confused—aren't all the Occupy Wall Street protesters supposed to be trust fund hippies who dropped out of Sarah Lawrence?

http://gothamist.com/2011/10/14/hiv_positive_protester_says_cop_who.php

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[myrna minx]

2. K&R n/t

[BlueIris]

3. Awful.

I loathe and despise physical abusers.

[democrat_patriot]

4. And now the cops know his name...and have a nice picture....

Can he still be arrested? Or sue for police brutality?

[thereismore]

5. Nice way to plant fear into those fucking cops. nt

[Matariki]

6. They were going to arrest him for getting punched?

[tblue37]

28. Cops always do that. They attack someone, and then they claim their

victim attacked them first.

When that cop (Tony Balogna) pepper sprayed the kettled women who were doing absolutely nothing, the officials later claimed that the women were being violent and threatening toward the other cops and Baloney guy had to do something to get them under control. Of course, the videos alwasy show what really happens, but the idiot cops and the city officials still make these absurd claims to justify their attacks on peaceful and innocent citizens..

[EarlG]

7. Is this the moment of the punch?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2116030

That's the same guy, right?

[meegbear]

8. I believe it is ...

I was gonna add that pic as well, but it wasn't from the original link.

[RebelOne]

10. Sure looks like him. n/t

[Tatiana]

15. Sure looks like it. n/t

[tama]

17. White shirt - how surprising!

But hard to guess from that photo that his friends got him pulled out from all those cops - or was it just the white shirts?

[Sentath]

20. In the same shirt

I'm impressed. Quick work.

[cui bono]

27. Here's other angles of it on video:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2119570

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/10/14/occupy-protester-brutally-attacked-by-cop-shares-his-story/

[Divernan]

29. Wow! Raw Story video shows the guy attacked from behind by the cop

The victim is clearly walking away when the cop grabs him from behind, turns him around and coldcocks him! Helluva good lawsuit for police brutality there. Would love to see this guy (living on $300 a month) collect a nice amount from the NYPD - and that cop fired! I'm sure he'd get hired as a mercenary in Iraq - that would get him off NYC streets.

[KamaAina]

9. Karma's a bitch, ain't it?

Poor cop. :nopity:

[Enthusiast]

11. Well, what can we say about this?

Stupid violent cop.

[uppityperson]

12. that is great that he is coming forward with this. Take the high road, show compassion.

k&r for Rivera-Pitre's ethics.

[FLAprogressive]

13. +1

[malthaussen]

22. Agreed

Mr Rivera-Pitre has acted admirably.

-- Mal

[frylock]

14. hey, have a nice weekend mr. policeman..

here's to hoping you are shitting a solid gold brick over this.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

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[Earth_First]

18. I'm going to have to disagree...

What a horrible sentiment!

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

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[DRoseDARs]

30. Seeing as the white shirt's assault on a non-combatant exposed not just himself, but dozens to risk

...of HIV infection yeah, fucker totally deserves reaping what he sowed. Many innocent bystanders (protestors, people acting as media, even other law enforcement agents) might have had their lives irrevocably altered by this one man's act of violence against a peaceful protester.

[Joe the Revelator]

32. With all due respect, this post makes you sound like an idiot.

[LiberalFighter]

23. And they say they are New York's Finest.

Now we know. Finest cops at using brutality.

[Blue State Bandit]

24. Video of attack plus interview from 10/11

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2118778

[Solly Mack]

25. K&R

[yardwork]

26. kick and recommend

[B Calm]

31. These fascist fat cops need to think about what goes around comes around. . .