A video of a New York Police officer repelling a group of hostile intoxicated men, at a subway station, has gone viral.
Officer Syed Ali—a US Army combat veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan—had no trouble fending off five homeless vagrants with his baton, and his feet, as they advanced on him, one by one, on Sunday night. The attack, captured on video, was viewed 4 million times on Twitter, reports RT.
East Broadway subway station, in Manhattan, was the scene of a tense confrontation between the solitary police officer and the aggressive crowd, on Sunday night.
Responding to a harassment report filed by a female passenger, one of New York’s finest rushed to her rescue, and encountered several belligerent men.
Video footage of the incident shows the cop fending-off an intoxicated group of at least five men who, despite repeated warnings, continued to advance on the officer. “Step back! Step back! I don't want to hurt you!” he shouted, repeatedly trying to defend himself by kicking and using his baton.
Two of the men attempted to hold the attackers back to no avail. During the struggle, one man fell onto the subway tracks, at which point the video ended.
To protect the life of one of his attackers, the officer requested the power to the tracks be cut, before helping the man out. When back-up arrived, police took the five men into custody, then released them for medical evaluations.
This is what the men and women in uniform sign up to do each day. Face the danger, no matter what type just to make sure people we serve are protected. Great work done by our proud member who showed restraint and bravery. He’s also a ranking member in @USArmy @NYPDTransit @NYCPBA pic.twitter.com/5FWcFWDE24
— NYPDMOS (@NYPDMuslim) December 24, 2018
Police scrutinized the video of the incident to identify suspects and the gang was later booked for breaches of city transit rules. The district attorney, however, declined to pursue charges.
Ali said his training in the military had helped him stay calm during the attack and that he had not used his gun because he believed it was not needed in that situation.
The Bangladeshi-born police officer has received special commendations.
“What extraordinary professionalism and bravery by NYPD Officer Syed Ali,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter on Tuesday.
Councilman Chaim M Deutsch of Brooklyn presented Ali with a certificate and thanked him for “restraint and discipline in how he de-escalated the situation.”
Ali, who is an American citizen, came to the US with his parents from Bangladesh when he was three and grew up in New York City.
He later joined the US army and served in Kuwait.
Ali made the news last year after he was held at a secondary screening at John F Kennedy International Airport for hours, upon arriving on a flight from Istanbul, soon after US President Donald Trump instituted a travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries.
