NYPD Boats ‘Monitor’ A Paddle Out In Rockaway

As Black Lives Matter protests continue into their second week in the United States and spread to other countries, a paddle out at Rockaway Beach, New York has been ‘monitored’ by two NYPD police boats. The Black Surfing Association organised a paddle out at Rockaway beach at 9am for this morning in memory of George Floyd. Similar paddle outs have also been held around America over the past few days organised by black surfers and allies.

Hundreds of surfers turned up to the paddle out chanting slogans such as “Black Lives Matter”, “Say His Name”, and Floyd’s name itself. 

Not long into the organised paddle out a NYPD boat approached the gathering of surfers which was soon backed up by another boat. No hostile interactions have been reported by the group of surfers, but many (including us) are wondering why two police boats are needed to ‘monitor’ a paddle out of obviously peaceful protestors. 

Tim Donnelly, a Brooklyn, NY, based journalist posted photos to his Twitter account following the protest wondering the same. “Did they think people were going to loot sand?”

Photo: Austin Brown/Instagram.