Protester sues NYPD officers for excessive force during October 2023 demonstration


Margo Brodie, Chief Judge with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York | Administrative Office of the United States Courts | Wikipedia Commons

A lawsuit has been filed in the Eastern District of New York, alleging police brutality and misconduct during a peaceful protest. Gabriella Flanagan, the plaintiff, claims she was subjected to excessive force by officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) on October 21, 2023. 

The complaint was filed on January 16, 2025, against several NYPD officers including Bruce Ceparano and Justin Pichon, as well as unnamed officers referred to as "John Doe" #1-2.

According to the lawsuit, Flanagan joined a peaceful protest in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, expressing her support for Palestinian civilians amid ongoing violence in Gaza. 

The protest was met with a response from the NYPD, during which Flanagan alleges Officer Ceparano and another officer grabbed her by the wrists and forcibly slammed her onto the pavement. 

Despite posing no apparent threat, Flanagan claims she was repeatedly thrown to the ground and handcuffed aggressively.

The complaint details that after being restrained face down on the pavement, Flanagan experienced severe pain in her left shoulder due to the force used by the officers, resulting in a second-degree separation of her shoulder muscle.

Following her arrest, Flanagan states she endured physical pain and emotional distress while detained without receiving medical care.

Flanagan's lawsuit accuses the NYPD officers of using excessive force and falsely arresting her without probable cause. She argues that their actions violated her First Amendment rights as she participated in a peaceful protest. 

Additionally, Flanagan claims malicious prosecution after being issued a desk appearance ticket for resisting arrest, a charge later dropped by prosecutors.

In seeking justice for these alleged violations of her rights under federal law, Flanagan is pursuing compensatory damages for physical injuries and emotional suffering. She also seeks punitive damages against the individual defendants and reasonable attorney fees.

Representing Gabriella Flanagan are attorneys Earl S. Ward and Laura S. Kokotailo from Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP. The case is being heard under Case ID: 1:25-cv-00293.

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