A serving New York City councilwoman was arrested during a protest in which she allegedly bit the Deputy Chief of the NYPD.
Susan Zhuang, a Democrat, was protesting the construction of a new homeless shelter in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
Zhuang allegedly bit Deputy Chief Frank DiGiacomo on the arm as officers attempted to arrest her and other protesters. A senior NYPD official described it as a “pretty nasty bite.”
Prior to her arrest, Zhuang posted on social media a video of protesters asking to see the permits for the construction of the homeless shelter, alleging there are none.
Susan Zhuang was arrested earlier this week
Google Maps/New York City Council
Former mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa said on social media: “Local residents in Bensonhurst are protesting a homeless shelter that was being opened at 5AM with NO consent from the community, or their Council Member Susan Zhuang!
“Zhuang stood up for her community, and was arrested this morning protesting this shelter…WE STAND WITH SUSAN ZHUANG and the entire Bensonhurst community against unsafe shelters in residential communities!”
Zhuang was charged with assault, resisting arrest and obstructing government administration, a police spokesperson told NBC News.
Attorney information for the councilwoman was not immediately known. She was released without bond after being arraigned on a felony assault charge and other violations.
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Mayor Eric Adams and his administration is committed to building the shelter
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On Thursday, Zhuang held a press conference where she told the crowd she was defending an 81-year-old woman who had fallen to the ground.
She said that the grandmother was “under a barricade.” Although the councilwoman called the NYPD to assist her and call an ambulance, Zhuang alleges that “nothing happened.”
She added: “I feel so honoured and also happy that I have a community I can go back to.”
A City Hall spokesperson told NBC New York that city mayor Eric Adams and his administration is committed to building the shelter, saying there are none in the community and it would be the first of its kind.
In interview on NY1, Mayor Adams said that she was wrong to oppose the shelter. The mayor said that there were no homeless shelters in Ms. Zhuang’s district while other neighbourhoods had more than a dozen.
“Everyone must share in this homeless crisis and the migrant asylum-seeker crisis,” the mayor said.