Manhattan DA says borough won't prosecute arrested protesters

• Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. announced a policy change regarding people arrested at Black Lives Matter protests on charges of unlawful assembly and disorderly conduct.
• "Under the new policy, the DA's Office declines to prosecute these arrests in the interest of justice," the DA's office said in a statement. "The Office will also continue to evaluate and decline to prosecute other protest-related charges where appropriate."
• Thousands of arrests have been made in relation to the protests in less than two weeks as officers outfitted in riot gear clash with demonstrators.

The Manhattan District Attorney's office announced it is declining to prosecute people who were arrested at the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the death of George Floyd.

Manhattan DA Cy Vance Jr. released a statement Friday, saying the DA's Office is revising its policy regarding "arrests on charges of Unlawful Assembly and Disorderly Conduct during ongoing demonstrations against the use of excessive force and killing of George Floyd."

Previously, it was the DA's policy to "offer individuals charged with these low-level offenses an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal, meaning their cases would be dismissed within six months," according to the statement.

"Under the new policy, the DA's Office declines to prosecute these arrests in the interest of justice," the statement continued. "The Office will also continue to evaluate and decline to prosecute other protest-related charges where appropriate."

The protests entered their 12th day on Friday following Floyd's killing. Floyd, a black man, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. His death sparked worldwide protests demanding justice for him and other black people, like Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, who died in officer- or former law enforcement-involved incidents.

Thousands of arrests have been made in relation to the protests in less than two weeks as officers outfitted in riot gear clash with demonstrators. Donation sites have been set up to collect bail for arrest protesters.

New York City has an 8 p.m. curfew in place that ends on June 8.