A young Brooklyn man says he was arrested and assaulted by a group of Brownsville cops after taking a picture of an officer asleep on the job, though the NYPD denies it.

Tyshon McDonald says the incident happened in a Laundromat on Jan. 1. His camp says McDonald snapped a photo with his cell phone of the sleeping officer and then the officer demanded he hand over the phone. According to McDonald, he refused and was assaulted when other officers arrived.

The NYPD has a different version of events. The department says McDonald and a friend were taunting the officer, who was on break. It says the two refused to identify themselves and scuffled with the responding officers, punching one in the process. The two resisted arrest, the department says.

Some Brownsville residents say the incident is indicative of a larger problem. They say excessive police force is an all too common problem.

McDonald is being charged with obstruction of justice, resisting arrest and assault. His supporters want the charges thrown out. McDonald has filed a formal complaint with the police department?s review board.