In Brooklyn, the construction project at 86th Street has sparked protests as hundreds of residents gathered on the night of March 29 to oppose late-night construction work. During the incident, a 58-year-old Chinese resident, Mr. Ho, was arrested by the police and detained for nearly 27 hours.
Mr. Ho stated at a press conference hosted by State Assemblyman John Cheng on April 1 that he was simply going downstairs to check the situation at the time. However, he fell in the crowd, ending up near the rear wheel of the developer’s truck, where several police officers restrained and arrested him. He later suffered swelling in his fingers, bruises on his body, and was unclear about the reason for his arrest.
His lawyer, Tony Hom, stated that Mr. Ho is currently facing charges of obstructing justice, disturbing the peace, and resisting arrest, and is scheduled to appear in court on July 2. Hom will seek to have all charges dropped and no records left behind. He pointed out that this case bears a resemblance to similar incidents he had previously handled involving protests by 86th Street residents against homeless shelters, where innocent individuals were arrested in the crowd, and all related charges were ultimately dismissed by the court.
Assemblyman John Cheng reiterated that homeless shelters cannot solve the housing issue for the homeless, suggesting that they should be converted into facilities for the elderly or affordable housing. He pledged to continue supporting the residents’ lawful protest actions.