New York Anarchist Sect Claims Responsibility for Attacks on NYPD Vehicles
Executive Summary
An anonymous anarchist collective has claimed responsibility for two separate acts of sabotage targeting NYPD vehicles in Brooklyn and the Bronx this April, citing opposition to U.S. policing, ICE collaboration, and imperialism as their motivation.
Analysis
On April 15, members of a New York-based anarchist sect punctured the tires of eight NYPD cruisers and spray-painted anti-police messages directly at the 88th Precinct. The act was a symbolic retaliation against what the group described as the precinct’s history of violence, complicity with ICE, and ongoing abuse of detainees in NYC custody, particularly at Rikers Island. The attackers linked domestic police brutality to global injustices, including U.S. military actions in Palestine and Yemen, asserting that “every strike against the NYPD is a strike for communities both here and all over the world.”
Less than two weeks later, the same collective claimed a more destructive action against NYPD’s Strategic Response Group (SRG) headquarters in the Bronx. Widely criticized for its militarized tactics and crowd control methods, the SRG has been a focal point of anger among anti-police and pro-Palestinian protesters. The attackers reported slashing tires, smashing windows, and flooding the interiors of police vehicles with paint. They explicitly referenced the SRG’s ties to Israeli police training programs and its recent role in suppressing Palestine solidarity demonstrations.
The group provided a tactical breakdown of tools used — including ice picks, spring-loaded punches, and paint-filled fire extinguishers — and issued an open call for replication of their actions. The emphasis on anonymity, security precautions, and DIY sabotage techniques indicates not only ideological motivation but strategic intent to inspire similar attacks nationwide.
These acts come amid renewed scrutiny of NYPD’s handling of protests, and broader debates about state violence, surveillance, and repression. They also signal a re-radicalization of small, decentralized activist cells willing to take direct action outside the bounds of permitted protest. While the material impact of these two attacks is limited, the political messaging and potential for copycat actions pose a growing challenge for law enforcement in an increasingly volatile activist landscape.
Sources
Never Sleep – Tires Punctured on Eight NYPD Cars
Never Sleep – Vandalism of Police Vehicles near Bronx SRG HQ
