New York officials slam snowball assault that injured police officers after a major blizzard, with calls for criminal charges.
NEW YORK: US officials have condemned an incident where New York police officers were injured after being pelted with snowballs by a crowd.
Online footage shows two male officers being struck and taunted on Monday afternoon in a park following the city’s largest snowstorm in over a decade.
Another video showed a large group following several officers, with snowballs hitting some in the back of the head.
“Multiple uniformed officers were struck in the face with snowballs,” a New York Police Department spokeswoman said.
The officers were responding to reports of a disorderly group in Washington Square Park and were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Detectives are investigating the incident, according to police commissioner Jessica Tisch.
“I want to be very clear: The behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal,” she wrote on social media.
New York state governor Kathy Hochul also criticized the incident.
“It is never acceptable to throw anything at a police officer, full stop,” she said.
City mayor Zohran Mamdani was more measured, saying he had seen “the videos of kids throwing snowballs at NYPD officers.”
“Officers, like all city workers, have been out in a historic blizzard, keeping New Yorkers safe and cars moving. Treat them with respect,” he wrote.
The largest union representing NYPD officers called for those throwing snowballs to be arrested and charged with assault.
“Unacceptable and outrageous — this is the environment that NYC police officers are up against,” the Police Benevolent Association said.
A huge blizzard on Monday dumped 19.7 inches of snow in Central Park, the ninth biggest snowstorm ever recorded there.
