New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ridiculed Mayor Bill de Blasio for the rioting and destruction that took place in New York City.
Cuomo’s condemnation of the New York City mayor came Tuesday, a day after rioters looted shops and police officers were attacked amid the protests, some of which have turned violent, over the death of George Floyd.
“The NYPD and the mayor did not do their job last night. I believe that. Second, you have 38,000 NYPD people,” Cuomo stated. “It is the largest police department in the United States of America — use 38,000 people and protect property. Use the police, protect property, and people. Look at the videos; it was a disgrace.”
He also noted that “technically, a governor could remove a mayor” but said he didn’t intend on using that power.
BREAKING: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called out Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Police Department.
“The NYPD and the Mayor did not do their job last night”
“It was a disgrace”@PIX11News pic.twitter.com/TWaFQcu0A4
— Cristian Benavides (@cbenavidesTV) June 2, 2020
De Blasio has sparred with Cuomo over decisions regarding both the coronavirus pandemic and the protests. The pair agreed to institute an 11 p.m. curfew throughout the city Monday night, marking the first time in nearly a century that the measure has been used in New York City.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani also attacked de Blasio and called for him to resign.
“This action did not have to happen if we had a vaguely competent mayor. This should have been stopped five days ago. I mean, couldn’t they have stopped some of that? We have watched now over and over again people looting, throwing Molotov cocktails, burning cars, and now putting our police in prison, in hospitals, and virtually no major arrests are made,” the former mayor said. “The mayor should step down. He’s incompetent.”
In acts of violence Monday night, a law enforcement officer got run over, while another was beaten by rioters.
Floyd, an unarmed black man, died after a white police officer kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes while arresting him. His death has sparked peaceful protests, some of which turned into riots that resulted in damaged property, arrests, and a number of deaths in cities across the country. The demonstrations seek to call attention to racial injustice and police brutality.
The officer who pinned Floyd down, Derek Chauvin, was taken into custody on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, while the other officers have been fired but have not been charged.
