NEW YORK (WCBS 880) -- At least 18 people were arrested in Manhattan protests Thursday night, including a man who police said pressed a chain to an officer’s throat.
A peaceful "count the vote" rally that started at the LGBTQ landmark Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village dispersed and another protest formed at Union Square, where the situation was heated.
It wasn’t immediately clear what led to arrests at the “We Choose Freedom” event, where people carried rainbow and Black Lives Matter flags while marching in the street. Extra police were drawn to the rally amid uncertainty over the presidential election, with stores and banks in the area still boarded up from Union Square to Soho.
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Thursday’s protests were less chaotic than Wednesday night, when trash fires were set and objects were thrown at police. Dozens were arrested.
But at Bond Street and Broadway, an NYPD officer was pushed to the ground by a man who pressed a chain against his throat, police said. The suspect was apprehended and faces charges of assault, criminal possession of a weapon and attempted strangulation.
The NYPD said a person with a knife was apprehended at E. 12th Street and Fourth Avenue.
“Bringing weapons like these to peaceful protests is unacceptable. It will not be tolerated and will result in an arrest,” the NYPD tweeted.
Officers at Thursday’s protest were seen shoving people, including the city’s public advocate Jumaane Williams and a 1010 WINS reporter, who fell to the ground.
Williams tweeted that police were aggressively trying to clear the street and appeared to be ready for mass arrests.
“We intervened to try and de-escalate and prevent that,” Williams tweeted.
“Our Public Advocate @JumaaneWilliams has a long history of going to protests specifically to join with New Yorkers while de-escalating tensions. There’s no sense in this, @NYCMayor. Where are you?” tweeted state Sen. Brad Hoylman.
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea has said officers showed “an amazing amount of restraint'' in dealing with protesters this week.
NYPD Chief of Patrol Juanita Holmes said a small number of trouble-makers shows a new trend of civil disobedience.
"We saw people intent on disrupting peaceful protesters, intent on destruction," Holmes said. "The small number of individuals have no regard for the safety of the peaceful protesters."
The NYPD said it was much better prepared now than it was in the spring, when there was widespread violence and looting.
Though the mayor said any allegation of police misconduct during protests must be investigated, de Blasio generally defended the NYPD's handling of the latest demonstrations saying he does not have information that police acted wrongly.
"The presumption that everyone is the same in a protest is just wrong. We've seen ample evidence unfortunately that a very small number of people, but a meaningful number of people, are not there for peaceful purposes and that's, from what I've seen, generally the folks who are getting arrested," de Blasio said on WNYC's "Brian Lehrer Show."
He said any peaceful protesters should be treated with what he called "deference" and "respect." That, he said, is what has happened overwhelmingly over the last six months.
"But what's not acceptable is if someone aims to do violence, we're not gonna allow violence. We're not gonna allow people to hurt other people or to damage property. We're just not going to allow it," de Blasio said.
The mayor also noted if any police officer does not respect peaceful protest there will be a follow up on that and disciplinary actions will be taken if necessary.
Marchers had come out again in large numbers on Thursday to ensure every vote cast in the presidential election is counted as it remains far too close to call in some states.
Christian Resseguie, with the group Refuse Fascism, says people have know President Donald Trump was going to alleged voter fraud for months, which is why they need to march.
"That Trump is going to attempt to steal the election by throwing shade on mail-ballots. By trying to voter suppress, defunding the U.S. Postal Service, encouraging his supporters to intimidate people at the polls. Shutting down polls, 12-hour lines primarily in Black and Brown areas, primarily in Democratic leaning areas," Resseguie said.
The NYPD, which was seen out in force on Thursday, said they would be patrolling alongside protesters.
“We have to make sure that those protests that do occur, the people that are protesting are safe, as well as the community at large. So when you think about property damage, or injuries to anyone, these are the primary concerns,” Shea said. “We think we can accomplish all of this.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.