Police Seek 12 in Proud Boys Brawl in Manhattan

Police are looking for a dozen people who took part in a brawl between an alt-right group and leftist counter-protesters on the Upper East Side Friday night.

The altercation took place after an appearance by Gavin McInnes — the incendiary leader of the nationalist Proud Boys — at the Manhattan Republican Club. After leaving the club on East 83rd Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, the Proud Boys walked past a group of anti-fascist, or "antifa," protesters. As the two groups moved around the block and south on Lexington, a fight erupted, which was captured on videos that quickly went viral.

On Monday, the NYPD released surveillance video that provided a clearer picture of what happened. In it, an anti-fascist protester wearing a black mask throws a bottle. Seconds later, men in red baseball caps attack him and several other mask-wearing people.

On Friday at approx 8:23 pm there was an altercation which was widely distributed via social media on 82nd between Lexington to Park, here’s another angle of the video. We need your help identifying these individuals please contact @NYPDTips 800-577-TIPSpic.twitter.com/ndII6m0aLc

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) October 15, 2018

Now, the NYPD says it’s looking for a total of 12 people involved in the fight — nine members of the Proud Boys and three antifa counter-protesters. The police department says it plans to charge those involved with rioting and attempted assault.

Directly after the fight, critics had called out the NYPD for not doing more to stop the clash and not making arrests at the scene.

But NYPD leaders defended the officers’ response, saying at a press conference on Monday that the anti-fascist victims refused help from police and no one from either side of the fracas have yet to make a formal complaint to police.