A mob pelted New York City police officers with snowballs in Washington Square Park on Monday afternoon following a major snowstorm, injuring several with facial lacerations. Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the event as a harmless snowball fight and opposed charging anyone involved. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch condemned the actions as disgraceful and criminal, with an investigation underway.
The incident occurred in Washington Square Park after a massive winter storm dumped around two feet of snow on New York City, bringing much of the area to a standstill. On Monday afternoon, a large group organized a snowball fight, and NYPD officers responded after reports of people climbing onto the roof of a building in the park, according to ABC 7 New York.
Videos captured multiple people hurling snowballs at the officers, with some running behind them to dump large pieces of snow on their heads. Crowds blocked the officers' path, leading to at least two individuals being thrown to the ground by police. In one clip, a group of officers fled the scene as the pelting continued. Several officers sustained minor injuries, including lacerations on their faces, and were treated at hospitals. No arrests were made at the time.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch addressed the videos, stating, “The NYPD is aware of certain videos taken earlier today in Washington Square Park showing individuals attacking cops. I want to be very clear: The behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal. Our detectives are investigating this matter.” The Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association echoed this, saying, “Our police officers are being treated for their injuries, but the case CANNOT end there. The individuals involved must be identified, arrested and charged with assault on a police officer. And all of our city leaders must speak up to condemn this despicable attack.”
On Tuesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani told reporters he disagreed with calls for charges, describing the footage he saw as “a snowball fight” involving “kids.” He noted, “I think there were two officers who were facing lacerations on their face,” but added, “Look, I’ve seen the videos of this snowball fight. I think that it was a snowball fight.” Mamdani urged respect for officers responding to the blizzard, saying they “deserve to be treated with respect,” while joking that he alone deserved snowballs.
Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the attack, stating, “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.” Political rivals, including former Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, criticized Mamdani's response and past comments on police. Adams wrote, “Watching officers get pelted with snow while they are out in brutal weather protecting this city should make every New Yorker furious... Back the police. Full stop.” Cuomo added, “Words have consequences. We are seeing that in the growing disrespect for law enforcement... This mayor does not.” Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney said, “You can thank Mamdani’s anti-police rhetoric for this,” calling for accountability.
The event marked an early challenge for Mamdani, who took office after winning the 2025 mayoral election amid the city's storm response, which included raising snow shoveler wages from $19.14 to $30 per hour due to low turnout.
