NYC council member and Central Park Five exoneree says he was unjustifiably pulled over by police

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New York City council member Yusef Salaam, a member of the exonerated Central Park Five, says he was unjustly pulled over by police while driving with his family in Harlem on Friday night.

Mr Salaam said in a statement that the NYPD officer refused to explain why he had been pulled over, and that he was backing out of a planned ride along with police and Mayor Eric Adams on Saturday night in protest.

“Last night, while driving with my wife and children and listening in to a call with my Council colleagues on speakerphone, I was pulled over by an NYPD officer in my beloved Village of Harlem within the 28th Precinct,” Mr Salaam said in a statement on Saturday 27 January.

“I introduced myself as Councilman Yusef Salaam, and subsequently asked the officer why I was pulled over. Instead of answering my question, the officer stated, ‘We’re done here,’ and proceeded to walk away.”

The NYPD released a statement saying the officer had pulled over Mr Salaam’s blue sedan at about 6.20pm for “driving with dark tint beyond legal limits”, which is a violation of New York state law.

The officer said he was informed that Mr Salaam was on official council business, and used his discretion to let the lawmaker off, the statement said.

The officer was polite, professional and respectful throughout the encounter, the NYPD said.

It released body-worn footage of the encounter, which it said supported the officer’s account.