The angry mob who seized upon a quiet Queens community to protest Kyle Rittenhouse’s acquittal — destroying cars, American flags and attacking a cop — included a graffiti vandal and a man carrying a hatchet and a hammer, police and sources said.
Five of the roughly 40 mostly masked rabble rousers were arrested and charged with rioting, including Kyrk Freeman, 22, Daniel Wattley, 28; Alex Davis, 33; Charles Edmonds, 37; and Jonathan Lefkowitz, 38 who was also charged after allegedly being caught with the hatchet and hammer.
It’s unclear what caused the crowd to focus on Middle Village, Queens, Friday night.
The would-be protesters were trailed by cops as they made their way through the neighborhood, many decked out in all-black with their faces covered, in the style of “Black Bloc” anarchists known for covering their faces and wearing all black to destroy property, according to police sources.
They allegedly tossed garbage cans at cops, ripped American and “Blue Lives Matters” flags from homes, damaged mailboxes and cars, NYPD officials and sources said.
Sources said an officer saw Freeman point to a silver Chevrolet sedan, which Edmonds allegedly jumped on, shattering its front windshield.
As Edmonds was being taken into custody, Freeman jumped on the arresting officer’s back, police said, before resisting arrest himself.
A man told cops he had earlier witnessed Freeman spray paint “F–k You” on his white SUV, and cover the car’s pro-police “Thin Blue Line” sticker with black paint, sources said. The damages totaled over $250.
Freeman had a can of spray paint, police said. He and Edmonds have been charged with rioting, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, obstructing government administration, reckless endangerment of property, unlawful assembly and a traffic violation for walking in the street.
Freeman, who is also charged with graffiti in Friday’s incident, was arrested in September for allegedly vandalizing a pillar at the Myrtle Avenue subway stop, sources said.
Lefkowitz, 38, was arrested in possession of both a hatchet and hammer. He faces charges of rioting in the first degree, unlawful assembly, obstructing governmental administration, weapon possession and walking in the roadway.
Wattley, 28, and Davis, 31, were charged with rioting in the first degree, unlawful assembly, obstructing governmental administration and walking in the roadway.
All five alleged rioters were released pending future court dates, cops said.
