What an English Prof Is Accused of Doing to Cops During NYC Protests Had Police Raiding His Apartment in the Middle of the Night

An English professor incited a riot Saturday night on the Brooklyn Bridge that led to protesters beating a pair of New York City cops, police said.

Eric Linsker, 29 — an adjunct professor at the City University of New York — was arrested around 4 a.m. Sunday, WCBS-TV reported; charges against him include assault in the second degree, rioting in the first degree, criminal possession of a weapon, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Linsker, right, appears in court. (Image source: WCBS-TV)

Linsker's neighbor told the New York Daily News that four plainclothes officers raided his apartment and then yelled, “We got him.”

He was released Sunday night without having to post bail, WCBS added. Linsker's lawyer told the station his client had nothing to do with the assaults.

Image source: WCBS-TV

Linsker allegedly tried to throw a metal garbage can at officers on the Brooklyn Bridge during the protests, WCBS noted.

More from WCBS:

They attempted to arrest him, but protesters intervened, pulling the man away from police and punching and kicking the cops in the face and head, authorities told 1010 WINS’ Kevin Rincon. The demonstrators also knocked the two lieutenants down to the ground and punched and kicked them, police said.

One lieutenant sustained a broken nose.

The lieutenants were able to retain what they said is the suspect’s backpack after he got away. Hammers were found inside the bag, police said.

But Linsker’s attorney said there’s no way for prosecutors to prove the bag belonged to his client.

“This young man did nothing but protest," Linsker's attorney Martin Stolar told the station. "He did absolutely nothing. He did not do the assault that it is claimed that he did."

Linsker also writes erotic poetry interspersed with verses such as “F*** the police," the Daily News added.

Linkser's roommate Chris Balmer told the Daily News that Linsker was upset by the grand juries non-indictments of two white police officers in the deaths of two black men, Michael Brown and Eric Garner.

“He's frequented these protests," Balmer told the Daily News. "He was extremely upset."

Still, he was stunned by the charges against his roommate.

"I was surprised — he's not a violent person. He's a good guy,” Balmer said.

More from the Daily News:

Linsker was a decorated graduate student of the prestigious writing program at the University of Iowa.

He also attended Harvard, and reads books like “The Apprehension of Beauty: The Role of Aesthetic Conflict in Development, Art and Violence: The Role of Aesthetic Conflict in Development, Art and Violence.”

In the chaos after the assaults on police officers, Linsker fled the scene, police said.