Snowball Skirmish in the Big Apple Sparks Controversy: Mayor vs NYPD

A massive snowball fight in New York's Washington Square Park has sparked a dispute between Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York Police Department. Officers were pelted with snow, leading to a police investigation. Mayor Mamdani downplayed the event, calling it a snowball fight that got out of hand.

In a frosty episode that has city officials at odds, a snowball fight in New York's Washington Square Park turned contentious this week, resulting in injuries to police officers and a dispute between Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York Police Department.

The event, which unfolded during a post-blizzard gathering organized by social media content producers, escalated when officers, attempting to manage the crowd, were hit by snow and ice. The NYPD, led by Commissioner Jessica Tisch, has labeled the incident as criminal, beginning a search for four individuals captured in images shared online.

Mayor Mamdani, however, dismissed the situation as a simple snowball fight that spiraled out of control, advocating against pressing criminal charges. The incident mirrors past confrontations between law enforcement and young people, highlighting ongoing tensions regarding the perception and treatment of police in public spaces.

(With inputs from agencies.)