Homeless Transgender Woman Kidnapped by Police After Appearing in Article

On July 8th, The Gothamist ran a story about New York City’s Abolition Park, an occupation by Black Lives Matter protesters of a plaza next to City Hall. The article highlighted a homeless transgender woman named Nikki who had taken up residence with the activists. She declined to share her last name with the reporter in fear of retaliation by more than just anti-protest activists, but as a trans woman, she new that she also risked being targeted by anti transgender extremists.

In the article, the 18 year old said to Gwynne Hogan of WNYC of life at the Park since the occupation began:

“I have never been so f*cking full and felt so healthy and felt so supported. Anywhere I go outside of here I’m a f*cking freak, being trans and skateboarding and wearing different clothes,” she said. “I’ve had transphobic slurs thrown at me for being in public. But here the first thing I get asked is, ‘What are your pronouns?’”

However, on July 28th, Nikki, who was walking across the street outside the Park, was suddenly grabbed by four men, restrained as she screamed for…