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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also downplayed the attack on New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers.
While speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mamdani was again asked about the virus incident. Before addressing the ambushers, Mamdani praised the NYPD for playing a major role in the city’s tornado response. The mayor said what he saw in the videos that quickly circulated online was a snowball fight that “got out of hand.” Although he went on to say that the police and all city workers “deserve respect,” Mamdani did not condemn the incident.
It was not the first time that Mamdani looked down on this incident as the ice war went bad. On Tuesday, he also said the videos appeared to show “kids having a snowball fight.”
Snow was thrown at NYPD officers during a blizzard in New York City. (@BGonthescene/X)
Mamdani previously said that he does not believe that the suspects should face charges of assault and he reiterated this point on Wednesday, saying: “I have said that what I saw was an ice war. It should be handled properly. It was the one that got out of hand. But it was.”
Despite the mayor speaking out against charging the suspects, the NYPD posted photos of the suspects saying they were “wanted for assault on a police officer.”
Additionally, as the videos went viral, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement to X that “the behavior displayed is reprehensible, and criminal.” Tisch added that detectives are investigating the matter.
On Monday afternoon, several NYPD officers were pelted with snowballs while responding to a call about a disorderly crowd inside Washington Square Park. The NYPD said the officers suffered head, neck and face injuries after being hit “multiple times with snow and ice.”
A snow and ice ball was thrown at the back of the NYPD officer’s head during the attack. (@BGonthescene/X)
No one has been arrested in connection with the snowball attack, according to officials.
NYPD RELEASES PHOTOS OF SUSPECTS WITH FACIAL HAIR AFTER MAMDANI SAYS ATTACKERS ‘SAY ‘KIDS”
The President of the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York, Patrick Hendry, issued a strong statement criticizing Mamdani’s response to the incident, saying it was “a complete failure of leadership.”
“This was not just a ‘snowball fight.’ “This was an attack – by adults throwing pieces of ice and stones – that left two police officers in hospital with head and face injuries,” said Hendry in a statement. “By ignoring their injuries and dismissing the incident, the mayor sent a shameful message to all police officers who serve this city, and a dangerous message to anyone who might want to attack a police officer in the future.”
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the incident in which NYPD officers were pelted with snow and ice was a snowball fight that “got out of hand.” (NYPD; Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)
The Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) told Fox News Digital that while “some people” may try to dismiss the incident as “college fights or harmless kids throwing snowballs,” intentionally targeting uniformed officers while doing their official duty is assault.
“We cannot condemn the recent heinous and dangerous attack on NYPD officers while responding to a 911 call in Washington Square Park,” SBA president Vincent Vallelong wrote in a statement. “The behavior of the people throwing the snowballs, many of whom are believed to be NYU students, was reckless and illegal, and put the health and safety of others at risk.”
Vallelong added those who threw snow and ice at the police “to the cross[ed] clear line.”
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Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch, Landon Mion, Anders Hagstrom and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
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