Editor's note: The video above is from July 8, 2024.
BENSONHURST, Brooklyn (PIX11) – Protesters and the NYPD clashed during a rally over a planned homeless shelter in Brooklyn on Wednesday, leading to eight arrests, according to the NYPD.
A group of 150 protesters descended upon 2501 86th St. in Bensonhurst, which has been the site of numerous demonstrations, according to the NYPD.
Councilwoman Susan Zhuang was among those arrested, her spokesperson told PIX11 News. She allegedly bit a police officer during her arrest and is being charged with officer assault, according to the NYPD.
Six others arrested at the rally were given desk tickets, according to police. An eighth person was arrested but is not believed to be related to the protesters, according to authorities.
Video posted on Citizen App showed a large group of people in front of the building, which was barricaded off by police. A sign on the planned shelter read, "Fight against proposed homeless shelter at 25 Ave & 86 St."
Protesters were seen grabbing and tossing the barricades police officers put up, another video posted by Oliya Scootercaster to X showed. Several people were caught on video being detained by police officers.
Construction workers were also seen on video boarding up the building a video posted by Scootercaster showed.
In a statement, a representative of City Hall said the owner of the building has proper permitting to demolish the existing building, and Mayor Eric Adams' team is supportive of the shelter.
"The Adams administration is committed to building this much needed shelter -- the first of its kind in this community," said a spokesperson for City Hall. "Every community must have the resources they need to support their most vulnerable neighbors, and this community has no shelters."
Zhuang has been outspoken about the planned homeless shelter, saying it should be built in a different location. The planned homeless shelter would be for single men.
“It’s next to a school; there’s five schools nearby, across the street, there’s a senior center here, also a day care center here, this is not the proper location,” Zhuang previously told PIX11 News.
It's slated to open in late 2024.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
