A video showing Manhattan police officers repeatedly striking a Black man has gone viral. The footage appears to show three officers in Manhattan’s Flatiron District using force on the man while he was already in handcuffs.
The man appeared to be in distress in the video. He is seen lying face down, shirtless and barefoot, while officers restrain him. One officer appears to push the man’s head down, while another places a knee near his leg. A third officer is seen pressing a foot against him, seemingly to immobilize him. Toward the end of the clip, the police officers appear to place a bag over his head.
A woman is also seen attempting to intervene, urging officers to stop. However, the officers continue restraining the man and pushing him toward the ground. The video quickly spread on social media, where users criticized the officers’ use of force.
One X user wrote,
“If he’s already restrained, then why escalate the situation? This is where accountability matters.”
In one widely shared post, a user described the incident as follows:
Police repeatedly punch man—who is already handcuffed behind his back.
At least 3 officers are kneeling on the man pinning him to the sidewalk—facedown shirtless and barefoot.
Man appears to qualify as a “person experiencing an emotional crisis”—under new law signed in 2025.… pic.twitter.com/48h8fWAjlL
— LongTime🤓FirstTime👨💻 (@LongTimeHistory) March 24, 2026
Another user expressed concern about broader implications, writing, “Be prepared to see much more of this…” and warning about increased use of force by law enforcement.
A third user made controversial remarks about mental health, suggesting institutionalization. Others in the discussion pointed out that the man appeared to attempt to bite an officer, based on the video.
Another post circulating on TikTok criticized the officers’ actions, stating that once a person is handcuffed, further force is unnecessary and could erode public trust in law enforcement.
This recent video is circulating on Tik Tok. This is WHAT NOT TO DO to someone who is securely handcuffed. Once they are handcuffed, the battle is over. Actions like this ERODES the public’s trust in the police. What the hell was this NYPD officer thinking? pic.twitter.com/lInmUDvmYw
— TheSalGreco (@TheSalGreco) March 24, 2026
It remains unclear whether the man bit an officer. The video shows him pulling at his trousers with his teeth, which may explain why officers covered his head. However, many viewers argued that the level of force used was excessive given that he was already restrained.
The incident has drawn comparisons on social media to the 2020 killing of George Floyd, which sparked nationwide protests over police use of force. Some users said the restraint tactics seen in this video reminded them of that case.
