An NFL reporter’s criticism and the NYPD union’s fury highlight a fault line in the mayor’s public safety approach
Officers Hit, Mayor Responds — and the Controversy Begins
A video circulated on social media during New York City’s historic blizzard showing NYPD officers being pelted with snowballs as they responded to a call about a large, disorderly group in Washington Square Park. Some officers sustained multiple facial lacerations. No arrests were made. When Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the incident, he did not call it an assault. He called it something that “looks like a snowball fight” and wrote on social media that officers should be treated with respect while noting that if “anyone’s catching a snowball, it’s me.” That framing — meant to de-escalate the situation and project a kind of wry confidence — landed differently depending on who was watching.
Ed Werder’s Public Criticism and What It Represents
Former ESPN NFL reporter Ed Werder, who has built a following for direct commentary on social media, did not hold back. Responding to Mamdani’s remarks, Werder wrote: “How anyone who wears a badge stands beside this mayor, much less risks their life for him, is beyond me.” He added: “Doesn’t matter where you live. Treating the police with such disrespect is wrong.” Werder’s voice comes from outside the typical political commentariat, and his prominence in sports media gave the criticism reach in communities that might not otherwise engage with New York City governance debates. His remarks reflect a sentiment that is widespread in law enforcement circles and among conservative critics of progressive urban governance: that minimizing an attack on uniformed officers, however the projectiles were framed, sends a dangerous signal about whose side City Hall is on.
The NYPD Sergeants Union Responds With Force
The Sergeants Benevolent Association did not mince words. SBA president Vincent Vallelong released a statement making clear the union regarded the incident as criminal, not recreational. “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 wrote. “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.” The SBA acknowledged that some people might try to dismiss the incident as “harmless kids throwing snowballs” but argued that deliberately targeting uniformed officers while they perform their lawful duties constitutes assault under New York law — regardless of the material thrown. The NYPD subsequently released photos of suspects, some of whom appeared to be adults with facial hair, complicating Mamdani’s characterization of the participants as “kids.”
The Broader Public Safety Fault Line
The Washington Square Park incident is not happening in a vacuum. Mamdani ran on a platform that includes creating a Department of Community Safety to handle non-violent crises outside of police involvement — a direct response to concerns about over-policing in communities of color. He has also spoken critically of the NYPD’s historical record on racial equity while pledging a collaborative relationship focused on violent crime. That combination generates friction. Officers who feel their safety is minimized by City Hall are less likely to cooperate with reform efforts. Communities that have been harmed by aggressive policing are unlikely to trust an administration that is seen as bending to police union pressure. Mamdani’s response to the snowball incident was clearly calibrated to avoid escalating a politically charged situation. Whether that calibration was right depends entirely on which values you prioritize. For those who want to understand the legal definition of assault in New York State, the New York State Penal Law section on assault is clear. The NYPD’s public safety data and community policing framework are documented at the NYPD’s official site. The debate over police reform and community safety in urban governance is extensively covered by the Center for Policing Equity. The Sergeants Benevolent Association’s full statement and ongoing communications are available at the SBA website. The Mamdani Post will continue to follow this story as investigations proceed and the public safety policy debate around this administration continues to develop.
