At least we know who those that are concerned for others are. Even though he was punched in the head with a roundhouse blow from the NYPD white shirt he wants that white shirt to get tested for HIV.
Rivera-Pitre, who is HIV positive and used to be a dancer, tells us he was walking a little bit in front of the police on William Street, and admits he "shot the cop a look." But then, according to Rivera-Pitre (and this is in line with what we witnessed), "The cop just lunged at me full throttle and hit me on the left side of my face. It tore my earring out. I remember seeing my earring on the ground next to me and it was full of blood. I was completely dumbstruck. I'm HIV positive and that cop should get tested."
Asked how he escaped, Rivera-Pitre says, "The cops were pulling me by my feet and the crowd was pulling me by my hands, and I was suspended in the air. But there were more people than cops, and they pulled me out." The police were seen searching for Rivera-Pitre in the crowd, but somehow he managed to slip away.
I'm glad there are those that are interested in protecting others from danger. Too bad they are not the ones wearing the badges.
12:23 PM PT: H/T to Tasini in the comments below who witnessed this event.:
saw it happen
I was standing on the other side of the street when that cop wailed on him. Crazy. Nothing provoked that kind of response.