Kathleen Casillo, a 59-year-old woman from Queens, is accused of driving her black BMW through people protesting against I.C.E. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) on December 10, 2020 at a march held throughout Midtown Manhattan.
Casillo was previously issued a desk appearance ticket for misdemeanor reckless endangerment and was reportedly released within hours on the same day the incident occurred, according to the New York Post.
TheCityNYC reported on February 11th that she was also later charged with reckless assault in the third degree, after victims pushed for stricter charges.
The two misdemeanors carry a maximum sentence of one year of jail.
Several videos taken at the scene appear to show Casillo driving through the protesters, then accelerating, hitting people, two people sent flying into the air.
Security camera footage of the incident shows people flying into the air as the car plows through the march.
The march on December 10th 2020, was in solidarity with I.C.E. detainees, who at the time were reported to be on a hunger strike at an I.C.E. facility in Bergen County, New Jersey.
After the car drove through the group, at least two people flew up in the air.
According to witnesses, police pushed the protesters away from the scene, arresting one person who was reportedly attempting to provide aid to the victims.
A group of activists, some of whom were injured in the incident, gathered outside NYC Criminal Court today for the start of the hearing. Casillo was offered 6 days community service, which she reportedly refused.
One person was seen speaking outside the court following the verdict. “The hypocrisy of this shit and the blatant obvious white supremacy of this shit” the man said according to a video posted by Protest_NYC Twitter account “She actually hit 9 people with her car and they offered her 6 days community service” person added.
Videos and stills by our team of Journalists Oliya Scootercaster & Ken Lopez (FreedomNewsTV)
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