|
The officers, growing visibly frustrated, shoved at least two
people to the ground as snowballs continued to whizz by. At one
point, a person runs up behind an officer and mushes some snow
onto his head. One of the officers can be seen rubbing his eye
toward the end of the video.
In a statement Tuesday, the New York Police Department said
multiple uniformed officers were struck in the face with
snowballs and were "removed by EMS in stable condition" to a
nearby hospital, but did not disclose additional information on
their injuries.
Jessica Tisch, the city’s police commissioner, called the
behavior “disgraceful” and “criminal" and said the department is
investigating. Police have released images of two people the
department is searching for in connection with the incident,
asking for the public's help to identify them.
Several political figures in the city were quick to denounce the
dustup, with many of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s critics
seizing on the incident as evidence that respect for law
enforcement has declined under the new mayor, who faced attacks
during his campaign over criticisms he made of the department in
2020. Mamdani has walked back those past remarks.
Mamdani, in a post on X on Tuesday, wrote, “Officers, like all
city workers, have been out in a historic blizzard, keeping New
Yorkers safe and cars moving. Treat them with respect. If
anyone’s catching a snowball, it’s me.”
At a news conference later in the day, Mamdani appeared to
downplay the situation when a reporter asked if he thought
anyone should face criminal charges.
“From the videos that I’ve seen, it looks like a snowball
fight,” he said.
The head of the city’s largest police union called Mamdani’s
response a “complete failure of leadership.”
“This was not just a ‘snowball fight.’ This was an assault,”
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said in a
statement, adding, “By ignoring their injuries and dismissing
the incident, the mayor has sent a disgraceful message to every
police officer who serves this city."
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
