Watch the YouTube video link below, posted by Yonkers Voice
Yonkers Rising and Yonkerstimes.com has received the police report from the City Council meeting held earlier this month on making changes to term limits. The meeting got loud and several persons were escorted from the council chambers by Yonkers Police.
Included in those persons escorted into the hallway was Hector Santiago, better known as the Stop n Shake founder, whose mission it was to have the community feel more comfortable around police.
We spoke to Santiago who told us he believes the video shows a highly charged police officer strike back at Santiago. We also see Santiago nudge the officer before it escalates, and NYS Criminal law prohibits a civilian from touching a police office.
We have spoke to people in the chambers, elected officials and members of the Yonkers Police. All say the same thing-they wish this incident did not happen.
Over the Christmas holiday, we did receive the police report in response to our FOIL. The report also included this statement from the YPD. “The Yonkers Police Department is entrusted with maintaining public safety and the orderly gathering of people in the public domain; this includes public hearings and last month’s City Council Meeting.
“Community members have the right to speak and be heard in accordance with the rules and procedures set in place by the governing body; and although discretion and reservation are the guiding law enforcement principle at meetings of this nature, no person has the right to disrupt, interrupt, or prevent the operation of government.
“As such, police will first attempt to mediate with unruly people and then, if necessary, escort them from the premises; in rare instances, an arrest may be executed, which was the consequence for one person for their behavior outside the chamber where they struck a member of this Department.
“This incident, like all criminal incidents, will be adjudicated in a court of law with due process afforded to all parties. Additionally, as is standard practice in any event where a member of this Department utilizes force, the incident and arrest are being reviewed internally by command staff,” end of YPD Statement.
The Police report includes the following:
“On this date Members of the Yonkers Police Intelligence Division were directed to the Yonkers City Council Chamber to conduct a protective detail during a public hearing. Members of the Intelligence Division were clearly identified as Police Officers with YPD insignia displayed on the outermost garment.
“While at scene the room was filled to capacity and tensions began to escalate as speakers from the public discussed City matters for 3 minutes at a time. While City council members were addressing the room several arguments began to erupt between the occupants of the chamber. The City Council President (Lakeisha Collins Bellamy) on several occasions advised the patrons in the room that if any individual continues to be unruly, they would be asked to leave.
“An argument began to escalate in my proximity between a male hispanic (later identified as Hector Santiago S1) and several males. Mr. Santiago(S1) was also standing up and yelling at the City Council members. Mr. Santiago was cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice which continued to disrupt the proceedings. As Mr. Santiago continued to yell at the city council, the City Council President again asked for order several times referring to the crowd.
“As the crowd began to settle, Mr. Santiago continued to amplify his voice by again cupping his mouth and directing his words at the city council causing the proceedings to cease and numerous people to redirect their attention away from the meeting and towards his actions.
“The assigned Detective then approached Mr. Santiago with the intent to speak with him and defuse the situation. With a low even tone I asked Mr. Santiago to lower his voice. Mr. Santiago then shouted at me stating “Fuck That Tell that shit to these guys” pointing in the direction of other members of the chamber.
“I again advised Mr. Santiago to lower his voice to which he responded “I don’t have to do shit!” I then advised Mr. Santiago that if he did not cease his actions, I would have to escort him out of the chamber in order to allow the proceedings to continue peacefully. Mr. Santiago then turned towards me in an argumentative manner and shouted “I aint going nowhere!” causing several people to turn and look to
see what was going on. I then advised Mr. Santiago that due to his actions he had to leave the Chamber.
“The assigned Detective then attempted to guide Mr. Santiago in the direction of the exit by placing my hand at the small of his back. Mr Santiago then began yelling and stiffened his body, refusing to leave the room. Det. Newman and Det. Spec Licht then assisted the assigned Detective in attempting to escort
Mr. Santiago toward the Exit. Mr. Santiago continued to yell causing several people in the chamber to respond to our side of the room to see what was happening and again redirect their attention away from the meeting.
“As Det. Specialist Licht and Det. Newman were guiding Mr. Santiago towards the exit, he continued to stiffen his body and pull away from the said Detectives. During these actions, Donnell Keitt-McCall
(PK1) began to grab Mr. Santiago to move him toward the exit. His actions separated Det. Spec. Licht from Santiago at which time Det. Spec. Licht then advised (PK1) to release Mr. Santiago, to which (PK1) complied. (PK1) was then escorted out of the chambers by the assigned and Det. Spec. Licht.
“Mr. Santiago was then escorted out of the chambers by assisting Detectives (See Supplemental Report for further). The assigned Detective was in the Hallway outside of the City Council Chambers Speaking with (PK1) attempting to calm the situation. At this time Det. DeMatteo exited the chambers with Mr. Santiago. Det. DeMatteo passed Mr. Santiago off to the assigned Detective to escort Mr. Santiago away from the proceedings.
“As the assigned Detective began to guide Mr. Santiago towards the stairway area, Mr. Santiago yelled “Get the Fuck Off of me!” and struck the assigned Detective in the chest and neck area with his left elbow and forearm with an upward motion forcefully jolting me back. At this time the assigned quickly reacted and struck Mr. Santiago once with a closed fist in the face in order to stop his actions and to place him under arrest.
“The assigned Detective then attempted to detain Mr. Santiago by grabbing a hold of his upper torso. As he continued to actively resist by turning away from me and refusing to comply, numerous Officers then grabbed a hold of Mr. Santiago and took him to the ground. Detective Specialist Licht was then able to place Mr. Santiago under arrest without further incident.
“Mr. Santiago was then escorted out of the building and was placed into a radio car with P 42 (Deierlien/Gray). Post 42 transported Santiago to St. Joseph’s Hospital where he was treated for minor abrasions (See Supplemental Report for further). It should be noted that Mr. Santiago had a prior injury to his right shoulder and he was wearing a sling at the time of his arrest. CSU responded to the hospital for photographs (See CSU Report for further). During the altercation with Santiago the assigned experienced a twinge and stiffness to my right neck area causing pain and discomfort. I responded to St. John’s Hospital where I was treated by Dr. Fortunato for a neck sprain. I was released and remained on
duty.
“Santiago was then transported to Central Booking where he was charged with Disorderly Conduct (Disturbing Lawful assembly), OGA 2nd, Resisting Arrest, and Assault 2 on a Police Officer by Lt. Barahona.
The assigned to respond to Yonkers D.A’s Office to file charges on 11/23/2022 .” end of report.
Because of the charge of assaulting an officer, Santiago spent the night in jail, until an Assistant District Attorney could review the charges. After finding that neither the police officer, identified as Detective Detective Russel Kilgore, nor Santiago were seriously injured, the assault charge was dropped.
Santiago gave us more in our discussion, adding that he did not know that the undercover police were in fact police until it was too late, and that the YPD should have had uniform officers controlling the crowd.
Santiago also told us that all of the Yonkers City Judges, and Westchester DA Mimi Rocah have recused themselves from his case, resulting it being moved to White Plains Court, with a prosecutor from the Orange County DA’s office know handling the case.
Eileen O’Connor, who was in the council chambers posted her thoughts. ” I witnessed this event at Yonkers City Hall at the City Council meeting and it made me sick and angry. Hector was standing in back of me telling Tasha Diaz to “stop talking and Vote”.. he repeated that several times, then was surrounded by Blackshirts who told him they wanted to talk with him outside.. No ID’s as cops; couldn’t tell who they were..they force walked him outside the Chamber to the hall and that’s where I lost sight of him.
“The Blackshirts triggered this incident. Hector Santiago, founder of Stop and Shake, was a casualty of police/blackshirt violence. Despicable. The Yonkers underbelly was on full view both nights.. I see this as a call to all decent minded people to stand up to this mob/goon mindset. The Yonkers City Council needs to stand up and start showing leadership here. The statements made by the YCP president and Councilwoman Tasha Diaz set the stage for this. It all seemed orchestrated.”
Santiago is also a member of the Yonkers Human Rights Commission.
