A now viral video capturing Harlem rapper English McFly’s clash with NYPD officers during a neighborhood gathering has set off a wave of conversation online. The footage, which surfaced on socials on September 20, shows a planned music video shoot turning tense as police moved to break up the crowd.
Clips from the scene depict McFly being struck by an officer before multiple cops restrained him and placed him in handcuffs. Witnesses at the event said the arrest came after police confronted him over a portable speaker being used for the shoot.
In another angle of the incident, an officer is seen swatting a cell phone out of a bystander’s hands as the person shouted, “I got all that.” The moment has amplified calls for accountability, with many questioning whether the use of force was necessary in what participants described as a peaceful gathering.
The footage continues to circulate widely, putting renewed attention on how police interact with artists and their communities in public spaces.