Leftists brawl with NYPD on NYC subway tracks over Jordan Neely’s death.

Left-Wing Activists Bring NYC Subway to a Halt Over Jordan Neely’s Death

Over the weekend, left-wing activists in New York City jumped on the subway tracks, temporarily halting a part of the subway system. They clashed with police over the death of Jordan Neely earlier this week. The New York Post reported that at least seven people were arrested during the mayhem at the Lexington Avenue and 63rd Street subway stop on the Upper East Side.

Attacks on Officers Despite No Connection to Law Enforcement

The attacks by the leftists on officers from the New York City Police Department happened despite the fact that Neely’s death had nothing to do with law enforcement. Manhattan prosecutors and detectives met to evaluate whether the case should be presented to a grand jury to determine if charges should be introduced.

Video Footage of the Events

Photojournalist Rebecca Brannon posted several videos on Twitter of the events that followed Saturday afternoon:

• A woman/man in green was one of the approximately dozen that were arrested for protesting/demanding justice for Jordan Neely. He/she repeatedly shouts into NYPD cop’s face: “Your officers take black lives!”
• NYPD Police wrestle with another protester who resists arrest and is taken down on the ground and cuffed.
• Female protester prevents subway doors from closing and clashes with female police officer as other protesters clash with NYPD #JordanNeely
• One of many arrests made as tensions escalated in the NYC subway and protesters disrupted the rides. #JordanNeely
• Two majors arrests were just made as protesters continue to clash with NYPD. One protester claims he can’t breathe. The other is carried away in cuffs.#JordanNeely
• A NYPD officer has been injured after being pushed in a clash w/ protesters – I’m told he may have a broken leg. I’m not sure if it can be heard in the audio but protesters shout “I hope you die!”

Neely’s Death and the Aftermath

Neely died after Daniel Penny, a 24-year-old college student and U.S. Marine Corps. veteran, subdued Neely with the help of at least one other passenger after Neely reportedly embarked on an aggressive rant in the subway on Monday afternoon. Manhattan prosecutors and detectives met to evaluate whether the case should be presented to a grand jury to determine if charges should be introduced. The New York City medical examiner confirmed on Wednesday that Neely died from a “chokehold” and ruled the incident a “homicide,” although that does not necessarily mean that a crime was committed.

Penny’s attorney’s released a statement Friday afternoon, saying that Penny “was involved in a tragic incident on the NYC Subway, which ended in the death of Jordan Neely.” The statement continued:

We would first like to express, on behalf of Daniel Penny, our condolences to those close to Mr. Neely. Mr. Neely had a documented history of violent and erratic behavior, the apparent result of ongoing and untreated mental illness. When Mr. Neely began aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and the other passengers, Daniel, with the help of others, acted to protect themselves, until help arrived. Daniel never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death.

For too long, those suffering from mental illness have been treated with indifference. We hope that out of this awful tragedy will come a new commitment by our elected officials to address the mental health crisis on our streets and subways.

Neely, 30, had been arrested a staggering 42 times over the past decade by the New York Police Department. The New York Daily News reported that Neely was most recently arrested in November 2021 on felony assault charges after being accused of “slugging a 67-year-old female stranger in the face.” The woman reportedly had serious injuries from the attack and Neely was jailed for over a year.

Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding Neely’s death, the violent protests and attacks on police officers are not the answer. It’s important to address mental health issues and work towards a better future for all, but violence and destruction only lead to more pain and suffering.

Ben Zeisloft contributed to this report.