BROOKLYN — Protesters in Brooklyn cheered when an MTA bus driver refused to transport arrested individuals for the NYPD during a night of protests over the Minneapolis death of George Floyd Friday.
Twitter user Brian Gresko posted images and video of the incident.
He tweeted that the NYPD had taken over the B41 bus. When the driver walked off the bus refusing to drive it, the crowd erupted in cheers.
Cheers as the bus driver walks off the bus, refusing to drive it #BarclaysCenter #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Vk0Rx41eCA
— Brian Gresko (@briangresko) May 30, 2020
The Transport Workers Union later tweeted support.
“Bus Operators do not work for the NYPD. We transport the working families of NYC , all TWU Operators should refuse to transport arrested protesters.”
TWU Local 100 Bus Operators do not work for the NYPD. We transport the working families of NYC , all TWU Operators should refuse to transport arrested protestors. @Josmar_Trujillo @ClaytonGuse @CentralLaborNYC @TwuSamuelsen @TTDAFLCIO #JusticeForGeorgeFlyod
— TWU Local 100 (@TWULocal100) May 30, 2020
This was part of a Friday night full of protests in Brooklyn. An NYPD van was set on fire, there were clashes between protesters and police, and officers made more arrests. Floyd died May 25 after being knelt on by an officer while in police custody.