Mamdani again downplays NYPD ambush as snowball fight ‘that got out of hand’
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani once again downplayed an attack in which several New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers were pelted with snow.
While speaking to reporters Wednesday, Mamdani was again asked about the viral incident. Before touching on the ambush, Mamdani credited the NYPD with playing a major role in the city's blizzard response.
The mayor said that what he saw on the videos circulating rapidly online was a snowball fight that "got out of hand." While he added that police, as well as all city workers, "deserve respect," Mamdani did not condemn the incident further.
This was not the first time Mamdani had downplayed the incident as a snowball fight gone wrong. On Tuesday, he also said the videos appeared to show "kids having a snowball fight."
MAMDANI MINIMIZES SNOWBALL ATTACK ON NYPD, OPPOSES CHARGES DESPITE HOSPITALIZATIONS
Mamdani previously said he did not believe the alleged perpetrators should face assault charges and reiterated the point again on Wednesday, saying, "I've said that what I saw was a snowball fight. It should be treated accordingly. It was one that got out of hand. But that's what it was."
While the mayor has spoken out against charging the alleged assailants, the NYPD posted pictures of the suspects saying they were "wanted for assault on a police officer."
Additionally, as the videos circulated online, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement on X that "the behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal." Tisch added that detectives were investigating the matter.
On Monday afternoon, several NYPD officers were pelted with snowballs when responding to a call about a disorderly crowd inside Washington Square Park. The NYPD said the officers sustained injuries to their head, neck and face after being struck "multiple times with snow and ice."
No arrests have been made in the snowball attacks, according to officials.
Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York President Patrick Hendry released a scathing statement slamming Mamdani's response to the incident, saying it was a "complete failure of leadership."
"This was not just a ‘snowball fight.’ This was an assault — by adults throwing chunks of ice and rocks — that landed two police officers in the hospital with head and face injuries," Hendry said in a statement. "By ignoring their injuries and dismissing the incident, the mayor has sent a disgraceful message to every police officer who serves this city and a dangerous message to every person who might be looking to attack a police officer in the future."
The Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) told Fox News Digital that while "some people" may attempt to dismiss the incident as "college hijinks or harmless kids throwing snowballs," the deliberate targeting of uniformed police officers while they perform their lawful duties constitutes assault.
"We cannot condemn strongly enough the recent disgraceful and dangerous attacks on NYPD Police 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 unlawful, and put the lives and safety of others at risk."
Vallelong added those who tossed snow and ice at officers "cross[ed] a clear line."
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.