A viral video reshared on X shows multiple NYPD officers physically removing a man from a New York subway car while some riders shouted and others filmed the scene. The clip followed reports that passengers had moved between cars to avoid a "strong odor," but the footage does not show what happened before officers intervened. At least six officers are seen restraining and escorting the man off the train; bystanders reacted with both criticism and phone recordings. The Daily Dot could not independently verify the events leading up to the removal.
Viral Video Shows NYPD Officers Removing Man From Subway as Riders Shout ‘Cowards’
A widely shared video shows multiple NYPD officers removing a man from a New York City subway car, prompting debate online about what led to the confrontation and whether police response was appropriate.
What the Footage Shows
The clip, reshared on X by user @Crime_In_NYC, begins after passengers reportedly moved between cars to avoid a "strong odor" said to be coming from an unhoused person. The video does not show what happened before officers arrived.
Onboard, officers engage with a man who appears not to comply with verbal commands. At least four officers initially grab and push the man down onto the seats until he is obscured; two more officers then join the effort. A female officer is seen reaching into the pile as other riders stand nearby recording the encounter.
Reactions From Riders
As officers escort the man off the train, some passengers shout criticism — one can be heard yelling, "A bunch of fucking cowards" — while others record the incident on their phones. A bystander in the video also shouts, "Oh, he got back up now," suggesting some riders were critical of the officers' tactics.
One comment accompanying the reshared clip read: "This is why no one wants to be NYPD anymore… You try to help and this is what you get — a bunch of libtard idiots screaming at you for taking stinky off the Subway."
Other commenters used the clip to highlight broader concerns about the subway system being used as shelter by people experiencing homelessness.
What Remains Unclear
Crucially, the video does not establish whether officers removed the man because of complaints about an odor, because he allegedly created a disturbance, or for another reason entirely. The Daily Dot noted it could not independently verify the circumstances before police intervened or confirm whether the removed person was the unhoused individual referenced in the original post.
The footage has sparked mixed reactions online and renewed discussion about policing, public transit safety, and the visibility of homelessness in the subway system.
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