Man beaten by police, caught on camera

NEW YORK

The beating went on for several minutes, with police officers using their fists, batons, and pepper spray all to subdue one man.

The video begins with two officers approaching a sleeping man at the Alternative Learning Institute for young adults in /*Crown Heights*/ last Monday.

One officer winds up and punches the 21 year old multiple times.

Moments later, the other officers swings her nightstick.

You can't hear what's said, but it doesn't make it any less painful for members of the youth center to watch.

"It was extremely troubling. It hurt my heart to watch," said Moishe Feiglin, Aliya's Rabbi.

Assemblyman Dov Hikind and nearly a dozen city and state leaders are calling for an investigation.

In a statement, NYPD spokesperson Paul Browne explains: "Police responded to a call of a dispute inside of a synagogue's outreach center in Brooklyn, where a man refused to vacate the women's portion of the center. The officers used force to affect the arrest, in which Ehud Haleavy was charged with assault, trespass, resisting arrest, and harassment."

The Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating and has referred the case to the Civilian Complaint Review Board.

But the facility's rabbi says Haleavy was allowed to spend the night there and that someone called the police by accident.

It's a misunderstanding some believe never should have escalated to this.

"Now I wonder how many other times are New Yorkers charged with serious crimes and there's no video camera to tell the story?" Hikind said.

"I want the charges dismissed immediately. I want a full and complete investigation and want these officers off the force," Council member Tish James said.

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