New York City Mayor Zahran Mamdani urged residents to treat police officers “with respect” after widely circulated videos showed NYPD officers being hit with snowballs during a large gathering in Washington Square Park during a major winter storm.The incident, which occurred Monday afternoon, attracted widespread attention after footage spread online showing crowds engaging in a snowball fight, with many participants repeatedly targeting responding officers. While police officials condemned the behavior as criminal, Mamdani spoke in a more moderate tone, describing the incident largely as a snowball fight and saying he did not believe the participants should face criminal charges.“I have seen videos of children throwing snowballs at NYPD officers,” Mamdani said in a statement. “Officers, like all city employees, were out in a historic snowstorm to keep New Yorkers safe. They treated them with respect. If anyone’s catching a snowball, it’s me.”
Officers struck while responding to the disorderly crowd
According to the New York City Police Department, officers were dispatched to Washington Square Park shortly after 4:15 p.m. following 911 calls about a large crowd gathering amid blizzard conditions.Instead of dispersing peacefully, some members of the crowd allegedly began throwing snowballs at the uniformed officers. Police said several officers were beaten, with at least two of them requesting medical evaluation for minor injuries. No serious injuries were reported.Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch strongly condemned the incident, describing it as unacceptable and criminal.“I want to be very clear. The behavior depicted is disgraceful and criminal. Our investigators are investigating this matter,” Tisch said in a social media post.Videos from the scene showed officers trying to control the crowd as snowballs flew, and one officer appeared to be cut near his eye.
Mamdani says incident looked like a ‘snowball fight’
Despite the police leadership’s condemnation, Mamdani said the videos he reviewed did not justify criminal prosecution.“From the videos I’ve seen, it looks like a snowball fight,” he said, reiterating his view that although respect for public sector workers is essential, the situation does not appear to warrant serious legal action.His comments contradict calls from police unions and some state leaders for tougher consequences.The Police Benevolent Association described the incident as an “assault”, and its president said the officers had been deliberately targeted.Likewise, the Investigators Endowment Association said this behavior crossed the line from harmless fun into criminal behaviour, and urged authorities to identify and prosecute those responsible.
Governor Hochul and Cuomo criticize Mamdani
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also issued a strong rebuke, stressing that attacks on law enforcement cannot be tolerated.“NYPD officers put themselves on the line to protect us every day. It is never okay to throw anything at a police officer,” Hochul said.Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was among Mamdani’s harshest critics, calling the mayor’s response inadequate and linking the incident to broader concerns about respect for law enforcement.Cuomo said city leaders must clearly condemn attacks on officers, and warned that downplaying such incidents could undermine police authority and morale.
Police unions echoed similar concerns, accusing city leadership of failing to send a strong message of deterrence.
The viral cluster came after the historic snowfall
The snowball fight was reportedly coordinated via social media and attracted a large crowd, similar to another gathering held weeks ago after an earlier snowstorm.The storm that caused Monday’s gathering was among the largest in recent years. Central Park recorded nearly 20 inches of snow, making it one of the heaviest snowfalls in the city in more than a decade.Although no one has been arrested yet, police said investigations are still ongoing.
