Viral video shows parks agents trying to arrest child selling fruit – NBC New York

The city is facing a wave of criticism in the wake of a controversial video shared online that captures a New York City Parks agents trying to arrest a 14-year-old girl for selling fruit from her parent’s alleged unlicensed cart in Battery Park over the weekend.

The video capturing Sunday’s chaos shows an NYPD officer also holding the girl as a crowd of mainly bystanders scream at the officers and physically step in to help the child break free. NBC New York could not independently verify what happened before the recording begins.

A woman, who did not share her name but said was the teen’s aunt, said the agents “were rough with my niece.”

The girl and her parents were back at the same spot selling fruit from an alleged illegal fruit stand in front of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal Monday.

“We’re not here to rob, we’re just here to sell our fruits. That’s it,” the woman who identified herself as the teen’s aunt said in Spanish, adding that’s exactly what the teen’s mom was doing when parks agents and police arrived telling them they had to leave. She says the family complied, and the teen began helping her mom pack up. That’s when she says agents tried to place handcuffs on the girl.

“Yes! Very aggressive because she didn’t do anything,” the woman said. “She just wanted to help her mom. And they aggressively pushed her.”

The video making the rounds on social media has led to fierce criticism of parks agents and police for their handling of a child.

Meanwhile, the city is sending mixed messages.

Mayor Eric Adams said he saw the video and while no one wants to see a teen appear to be abused, the agents were responding to complaints about illegal vending. Saying that the girl’s mother is a repeat offender.

“Illegal vending is not working,” the mayor said. “It’s illegal.”

However, in the six hours NBC New York spent in front of the terminal, we did not see one agent or officer approach any of the half dozen vendors selling fruit and churros. In fact, two police officers walk right by the teen’s parents who say they’ve been back here since this morning.

“Why are we preventing people from earning an income in this country,” said tourist Jessica Blinkhorn, who was visiting from Georgia and was one of the many people we saw purchasing fruit from the vendors.

“Employ people! People want to work. People want jobs,” Blinkhorn said.

A sentiment that Adams then shared, advocating that migrants should be allowed to work legally.

“It is not dignified to have people unable to provide for themselves. Let them work,” he said.

The mayor says the officers’ handling of the teen is being investigated. Meanwhile, the girl’s family says she stayed home from school Monday.

“She’s banged up a little bit. She’s swollen, her hand is swollen .They grabbed her really hard but she’s OK,” the woman who identified as the teen’s aunt said. “It’s a shame, watching what’s going on, it hurt.”