New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced sharp criticism Tuesday from lawmakers and police unions after a chaotic snowball fight in Manhattan’s Washington Square Park turned into an attack on NYPD, with agitators pelting officers with snow and ice during a major blizzard.
The incident unfolded Monday afternoon as hundreds gathered for what began as a playful snowball fight amid heavy snowfall. Police responding to reports of disorder were targeted, forcing officers to retreat into their vehicles. Videos showed individuals hurling large chunks of snow at close range, including one dumping ice on an officer’s head.
‘Back the blue and hold those who disrespect them accountable.’
No arrests have been reported, but NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the behavior “disgraceful” and “criminal” in a statement on X.
“Our detectives are investigating this matter,” she said.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and ex-Mayor Eric Adams, both Democrats, quickly blamed Mamdani’s history of anti-police rhetoric for fostering an environment of disrespect toward law enforcement.
“This is disgraceful. But with a mayor who has a history of calling the police ‘racist, evil, wicked and corrupt,’ he set the tone,” Cuomo posted on X. “Words have consequences. We are seeing that in the growing disrespect for law enforcement — just as we’ve seen it in the rise in antisemitism. Real leaders understand that. This mayor does not.”
Adams echoed the sentiment, saying the attack should outrage all New Yorkers.
“Watching officers get pelted with snow while they are out in brutal weather protecting this city should make every New Yorker furious. It is disgusting behavior,” he said. “And the politicians who constantly bash the police and refuse to have their backs are setting a terrible example. Leadership matters. Tone matters.”
U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican from Staten Island, urged Mamdani and other officials to condemn the actions.
“This is disgraceful. @NYCMayor and every elected official in our city should denounce this juvenile attack on our NYPD,” she posted on X. “Back the blue and hold those who disrespect them accountable.”
Photo by BG048/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images
Another Republican congresswoman from New York, Claudia Tenney, directly attributed the incident to the mayor’s anti-cop stance: “You can thank Mamdani’s anti-police rhetoric for this.”
Police unions demanded arrests and accountability. The Police Benevolent Association called the attack “unacceptable and outrageous,” urging city leaders to condemn it and charge those involved with assault on a police officer.
Scott Munro, president of the Detectives’ Endowment Association, described it as a “deliberate, outrageous, and dangerous attack.” He called on Mamdani and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to ensure prosecutions, saying: “No free pass. No get out of jail free card.”
Mamdani’s office did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
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