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Charges Dropped Against Protester Beaten by Egyptian Officials, NYPD

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A Manhattan protestor has had his assault charges dropped after he claimed he was dragged off the street by Egyptian government officials, beaten with a metal chain, and then wrongly arrested by the NYPD. Yasin El Sammak said he and his 15-year-old brother were victims of violence outside the Egyptian Mission, not perpetrators. Video recordings appeared to support their account, showing Egyptian officials pummeling the brothers with a metal chain. The NYPD initially declined to accept a police report from El Sammak's lawyer, arguing the charges were outside their jurisdiction, before later accepting it.

Key Takeaways:

  • Prosecutors dropped assault charges against Yasin El Sammak, a 22-year-old protester, after he claimed he was wrongly arrested and beaten by Egyptian government officials and the NYPD.
  • El Sammak and his 15-year-old brother were allegedly attacked by Egyptian officials with a metal chain outside the Egyptian Mission in Manhattan.
  • Video recordings taken by El Sammak and another activist supported the brothers' account of the incident.
  • The NYPD initially declined to accept a police report from El Sammak's lawyer, citing lack of jurisdiction, before later accepting it.
  • El Sammak's younger brother had his charges sealed in family court.
  • An attorney for El Sammak stated that the brothers were "the victims of violence outside the Egyptian Mission, not the perpetrators."

Statistics:

  • 22: The age of Yasin El Sammak.
  • 15: The age of El Sammak's younger brother.
  • 1: The number of video recordings that supported the brothers' account of the incident.
  • 1: The number of times El Sammak was allegedly struck with a metal chain.
  • 1: The number of times El Sammak claimed he was choked with his keffiyeh.
  • 1: The number of police reports from El Sammak's lawyer initially declined by the NYPD.

Sources:

  • "Prosecutors drop charges against protester who claimed he was beaten by Egyptian officials and NYPD" - The Associated Press (no date provided)

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