A town hall meeting was held Wednesday following two videos that appear to show police using excessive force. In one case, a pregnant woman ended up on the ground.
The Sunset Park group El Grito hosted the meeting to call for a change in conduct and accountability. It asked Mayor Bill de Blasio and Commissioner Bill Bratton to attend.
One video appears to show a police officer struggling with pregnant Sandra Amezquita. Police say she tried to interfere in the arrest of her 17-year-old son. Amezquita is five months pregnant and ended up on the ground on her belly.
Moments later, the video appears to show police pushing another woman, Mercedes Hidalgo.
El Grito claims this isn't the only instance of what they say is police brutality. A week before, it released a video of what appears to be a police officer kicking a vendor laying on the ground after a street festival.
Commissioner Bratton called the video "concerning" and suspended the officer involved.
El Grito says it is demanding three things. It is pushing for the replacement of Commissioner Bratton and the captain of the 72nd Precinct. It also wants the police officers involved in these incidents to be fired. Finally, it wants to create a blue ribbon panel to review the last 20 years of NYPD policies.
As far as Amezquita, her lawyer met with the Brooklyn district attorney and there will now be an independent investigation looking into the incident.