New York City Mayor
Zohran Mamdani has urged residents to treat police officers “with respect” after viral videos showed NYPD officers being hit with snowballs during a large gathering at Washington Square Park during a major winter storm.
The incident, which took place on Monday afternoon, drew widespread attention after footage circulated online showing crowds engaged in a snowball fight, with several participants repeatedly targeting responding officers.
While police officials condemned the behaviour as criminal, Mamdani struck a more measured tone, describing the episode as largely a snowball fight and saying he did not believe participants should face criminal charges.
“I’ve seen the videos of kids throwing snowballs at NYPD officers,” Mamdani said in a statement. “Officers, like all city workers, have been out in a historic blizzard keeping New Yorkers safe. Treat them with respect. If anyone’s catching a snowball, it’s me.”
Officers hit while responding to disorderly crowd
According to the New York City Police Department, officers were dispatched to Washington Square Park shortly after 4:15 pm 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 uniformed officers. Police said multiple officers were struck, with at least two seeking medical evaluation for minor injuries. No major injuries were reported.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch strongly condemned the incident, calling it unacceptable and criminal.
“I want to be very clear. The behaviour depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal. Our detectives are investigating this matter,” Tisch said in a social media post.
Videos from the scene showed officers attempting to manage the crowd as snowballs flew, with one officer appearing to suffer a cut near the eye.
Mamdani says incident looked like ‘a snowball fight’
Despite the condemnation from police leadership, 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 while respect for public workers is essential, the situation did not appear to warrant serious legal action.
His comments contrasted with calls from police unions and some state leaders demanding tougher consequences.
The Police Benevolent Association described the incident as an “assault,” with its president arguing officers were deliberately targeted.
Similarly, the Detectives' Endowment Association said the behaviour crossed the line from harmless fun into criminal conduct and urged authorities to identify and prosecute those responsible.
Governor Hochul, Cuomo criticise Mamdani
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also issued a strong rebuke, emphasising that attacks on law enforcement cannot be tolerated.
“Our NYPD officers put themselves on the line to protect us every day. It is never acceptable to throw anything at a police officer, full stop,” Hochul said.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was among Mamdani’s most vocal 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 deterrent message.
Viral gathering followed historic snowfall
The snowball fight was reportedly coordinated through social media and attracted a large crowd, similar to another gathering held weeks earlier after a previous snowstorm.
The storm that triggered Monday’s gathering was among the biggest in recent years. Central Park recorded nearly 20 inches of snow, making it one of the city’s heaviest snowfalls in over a decade.
While no arrests have been made so far, police said investigations remain ongoing.