Accused of biting police official, NYC Council member says police were the aggressors

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City Council member accused of biting a police official says officers used excessive force as she tried to help someone who was lying under a barricade at a protest. Brooklyn Democrat Susan Zhuang didn’t address the biting allegation Thursday as she gave her version of the encounter. Zhuang was charged Wednesday with felony assault and various misdemeanors and violations. A court complaint said she bit a deputy police chief’s forearm after she and other protesters were told to stop pushing barricades toward officers. The incident happened as police and demonstrators faced off at a protest over the construction of a new homeless shelter in Zhuang’s district.