The NYPD's heavily-armed unit that will form in the coming months will not monitor protests, despite Police Commissioner Bill Bratton saying they would Thursday. View Full Caption Getty Images/Mario Tama

ONE POLICE PLAZA — A new heavily-armed NYPD unit will not be policing protests, despite Police Commissioner Bill Bratton initially saying it would, police said Friday.

The move was met with protests from advocates who said that the machine-gun toting officers would aggravate community-police relations.

“No protests will be policed with the people using these heavy weapons,” the NYPD’s top spokesman, Stephen Davis, said. Instead, the Strategic Response Group will respond to counterterrorism-related incidents.

Bratton announced plans for the SRG, which will be comprised of about 350 officers who will carry riot gear and machine guns, at a Police Foundation breakfast Thursday morning.