Hawk Newsome, the outspoken founder of New York Black Lives Matter, surrounded to NYPD cops Monday and was charged with attempted assault over accusations he flung a bullhorn at a Manhattan district leader.
Newsome, 48, last Thursday morning led a rally outside the state office building on W.125th St. in Harlem to protest the defunding of a non-profit run by a woman he knows, according to his sister, New York BLM co-founder Chivona Newsome.
During the protest, Chivona Newsome said, the mother of City Councilman Yusef Salaam identified herself to Hawk and tried to fall on him, with Manhattan District Leader William Allen, 66, then grabbing Hawk’s wrist.
Her brother then threw the bullhorn “out of frustration but not at Allen,” the sister claimed.
Barry Williams/ New York Daily News
Hawk Newsome speaks to the media outside the 28th Precinct stationhouse on Monday before turning himself in on attempted assault charges. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)
But police believe Hawk was trying to hit Allen with the bullhorn when he threw it.
Cell phone video obtained by Daily News shows a loud argument and what looks like Hawk throwing a punch — a moment cops say actually shows him throwing the bullhorn.
“This is a political persecution,” Hawk said as cops lead him into Manhattan Criminal Court.
Hawk, whose real first name is Walter, claims he is being persecuted because he has complained that Salaam has not spoken out more against police brutality.
