NYPD Arrests Suspect As Mamdani Downplays Snowball Mob Attack

What some city leaders called a harmless snowball fight left two police officers bloodied and sent to the hospital. Now, the NYPD has made an arrest and the political fallout is only intensifying.

New York police arrested 27-year-old Gusmane Coulibaly in connection with the mob that surrounded officers in Washington Square Park and hurled snowballs, chunks of ice, and packed snow at them earlier this week. The arrest comes after widespread outrage over Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s decision to downplay the incident as little more than “kids at a snowball fight.”

The incident unfolded after a massive winter storm dumped roughly two feet of snow on New York City, bringing much of the city to a standstill. Videos circulating online show officers attempting to move through a dense crowd as individuals pelted them with snowballs. Some ran up behind officers and dumped heavy snow and ice on their heads.

Two officers were treated at a hospital for facial lacerations.

The NYPD released images of four suspects wanted in connection with the attack. Coulibaly was taken into custody Thursday. According to police, he had been arrested earlier this month for attempted robbery in the transit system. The other three suspects remain at large.

It is not yet clear what specific charges Coulibaly will face related to the snowball mob attack.

Drew sharp criticism when he publicly disagreed with calls for arrests.

“Look, I’ve seen the videos of this snowball fight. I think that it was a snowball fight,” Mamdani told reporters, adding that it looked like “kids at a snowball fight.”

His office doubled down, stating that while police deserve respect, the mayor did not believe the situation rose to the level of criminal charges.

That stance immediately put him at odds with other officials. Described the mob’s behavior as “disgraceful” and “criminal.” stated bluntly that it is “never acceptable to throw anything at a police officer.”

The NYPD Police Benevolent Association also pushed back forcefully, noting that a 27-year-old man is not a “kid” and criticizing what it described as a permissive message from City Hall.

The clash comes at a time when public confidence in urban safety remains fragile. While overall crime trends fluctuate year to year, major cities across the country have seen spikes in assaults on police officers in recent years. In New York City alone, thousands of officers report being assaulted annually while on duty.

Law enforcement advocates argue that minimizing attacks even those involving snow and ice sends the wrong signal.

When officers attempting to do their jobs are surrounded, blocked, and injured, critics say it goes far beyond playful behavior. Video footage appears to show individuals deliberately targeting officers’ heads and preventing them from leaving the area safely.

The broader concern is cultural. Over the past decade, anti-police rhetoric has intensified in many progressive circles. Critics argue that when elected officials blur the line between criminal conduct and harmless fun, it undermines accountability.

Coulibaly’s arrest marks at least one step toward consequences. But the political debate is far from over.

Supporters of stronger law enforcement argue that failing to respond decisively to mob behavior invites escalation. Today it is snowballs and ice. Tomorrow, they warn, it could be rocks or worse.

Mayor Mamdani has insisted that officers deserve respect. The question many New Yorkers are now asking is whether that respect must also include enforcing the law when officers are attacked.

As the remaining suspects remain at large and the investigation continues, one thing is clear: what happened in Washington Square Park has become more than a viral moment. It is now a test of how seriously city leaders take public order and whether assaults on police will be treated as games or crimes.

If you believe law enforcement deserves real backing, share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for more updates.