New York City Councilman Chi Osse was arrested Wednesday while protesting the eviction of one of his constituents, blocking city marshals from executing the tenant’s removal.
A socialist and supporter of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Osse said he was there to prevent “deed theft eviction” and was arrested after a confrontation with police during the protest.
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In a video posted on social media, police are holding Osse by the arms and exchanging words before the councilman was pushed to the ground and detained.
The New York City Police Department said several others were arrested as a result of the protest and failure to comply with verbal commands to disperse.
Osse has been a staunch advocate against deed theft, which is the illegal transfer of a deed without the property owner’s knowledge, and has pushed for a moratorium on evictions resulting from deed thefts.
On his Instagram, Osse’s team posted a statement saying he was there advocating a constituent who was being evicted after six decades in her home.
“Black displacement is happening right now in Bed-Stuy and Carmella is one of many black homeowners battling deed theft in Brooklyn,” the statement reads, adding that an eviction moratorium is the “bare minimum” in protecting black homeowners.
“Not another Black homeowner should have their home stolen,” it continues. “Until deed theft ends, we will fight every single day.”
Osse is being held at the 79th Precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant, and his team encouraged supporters to “show up to the precinct to call for his release and support Black homeowners whose homes are being stolen through deed theft.”
Mamdani, a friend of Osse and police critic, said at an unrelated press conference that the video is “incredibly concerning,” after a reporter described its contents.
The mayor added that he intends to follow up on the matter, both the arrest of Osse and the “underlying issue that was being protested.”
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“I know he’s been on the front lines of fighting deed theft,” Mamdani said. “It’s especially prevalent in his council district, and I appreciate, frankly, the efforts that he’s led in the past on ensuring that this is front of mind for all of us.”
Deed theft complaints increased in the city by 240% from 2023 to 2025, a statistic the New York Attorney General’s office attributed to increased awareness of the issue and the crime becoming more common.
