Yesterday, thousands of protesters descended upon Times Square and took it over for several hours during one of the biggest Occupy Wall Street rallies to date. There were 45 arrests at the mostly peaceful event, and 92 arrested altogether in NYC over the course of the weekend. But one reader sent us a video alleging that cops entrapped at least one protester. Check out the video below.
The video, taken by Andrew Matsumoto at 46th street and 6th avenue last night, is what he calls "direct evidence of the police using entrapment to make an arrest against a citizen who was completely within their rights and being calm and cooperative." Read his full description of the circumstances leading up to the arrest, and watch the video, below.
Prior to this video Tim Petryni (the man who was arrested) was denied access to 46th street. When he asked the police officers for a permit they said that they didn't have one. To which he replied that they had to present a permit in order to close the street. Afterwards they agreed to let him through. He asked the officers multiple times if he would be detained if he tried to walk to which they said no, that he wouldn't. Once he crossed them they immediately arrested him. This is a case of entrapment by the police and a complete disregard of a citizens rights.
You can also get a feel for what it was like to be in the packed crowd in the video below, via Young Manhattanite:
