'Stop treating us like animals and thugs' New York police union head slams media, lawmakers

A top New York police union official on Tuesday defended officers in the state and said "the press" and elected officials had "vilified" officers over how they have handled protesters calling for an end to police brutality, telling reporters to "stop treating us like animals and thugs and start treating us with some respect."

Protesters have clashed with police in several cities following anti-Black racism marches in the past two weeks over the officer-involved death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis on May 25. Floyd's death was caught on video showing a white officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd said "I can't breathe."

"Stop treating us like animals and thugs and start treating us with some respect," Mike O'Meara, the president of the state's association of police unions told reporters in front of officers gathered for a news conference on Tuesday.

Officer Derek Chauvin was fired from the police force and has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter.

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