Protesters Disrupt Subway Service Over Jordan Neely’s Death

Demonstrators in New York City took to the subway tracks to protest the chokehold death of subway passenger Jordan Neely.

Video circulated online shows protesters flooding the subway tracks at Lexington Avenue and East 63rd Street, chanting, “No justice, no peace!” An oncoming Q train is halted at the mouth of the tunnel, unable to reach the station. 

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The New York Post reports that police eventually moved the protesters off the tracks, and the train entered the station. But the demonstrations did not stop there as protesters barricaded train doors so passengers could not disembark. 

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Officers began evacuating the area, and the protests continued above ground, with people blocking intersections.

Several protesters were taken into custody. Sources told The Post that seven people were arrested in connection to the protests, but that number could rise. 

Neely was placed in a chokehold by Daniel Penny, a 24-year-old Marine. Neely, who was homeless, yelled at fellow subway passengers and threw garbage. 

Penny placed him in a chokehold for several minutes, leading to Neely’s death.

Penny has not been charged with a crime but has retained legal counsel. On Friday, his attorneys issued a statement claiming he acted in self-defense and “never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death.”