Councilman Jumaane Williams arrested after altercation with NYPD at West Indian Day Parade

City Councilman Jumaane Williams was arrested after getting into a confrontation with police, authorities say


















A city councilman was arrested Monday following a scuffle with cops on the sidelines of the West Indian Day Parade, a staff member said.

Jumaane Williams was arrested around 1:30 p.m. along with a member of Public Advocate Bill De Blasio's staff as they walked along a street near the Brooklyn Museum and were stopped by police.

"We had been given permission by a higher-ranking officer to walk on the sidewalk," said Williams spokesman Stefan Ringel. "But when we headed up the street, the councilmember was stopped by three officers."

"He showed his council badge and explained who he was but the police officer was not listening and began speaking to him in higher tones," Ringel said. "The speech got a bit disrespectful."

Ringel said a group of about 15-20 officers quickly surrounded Williams and his party and the altercation turned physical.

"At no point did they lay hands on the police officer, but the officers began to lay hands on them," Ringel said. "The staff member for the public advocate was tripped and pushed to the ground and both he the councilmember were arrested."

Both were taken to the nearby Union Temple of Brooklyn, Ringel said.

The altercation came during a joyous celebration of island pride as tens of thousands of revelers gathered to celebrate the West Indian Day parade.

Katty Antoine, 20, had Haiti shaved into her hair, carried to Haitian flags and was dressed head to toe in her homeland's colors.

"I wait for this all year," said Katty Antoine, 20, of East Orange, N.J. "I love the Haitian float. It's the best float in the whole country."

Conrad Peters, 21, a student at Queens College, said he was there to represent Trinidad.

"I love my heritage," he said. "I'm wearing my country's colors to represent for my family and show America how great my country is."

The parade is a required stop for city politicians representing Brooklyn and beyond.

Mayor Bloomberg, who has been fending off criticism for his handling of the arrest of his top deputy on domestic assault charges, was met with some jeers as he walked to parade route.

"Bloooomberg! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" yelled Tyrone Boykins, a 33-year-old stock broker from Bedford-Stuyvesant."The mayor is totally destroying and forgetting my neighborhood!"

NYC Councilmember Arrested At West Indian Parade : MyFoxNY.com