Jun 2, 2020 - Politics & Policy
Cuomo: The NYPD and NYC mayor did not do their job Monday night
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York Police Department Tuesday, calling their lack of protection for people and personal property "a disgrace."
The big picture: New York City is on its seventh day of protests for George Floyd's death and overall law enforcement killings, with massive crowds day and night. The city was one of the worst affected in the U.S. for looting, including Macy's flagship store and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
- Cuomo called out the NYPD for not deploying enough of its officers to handle the crowds. The department has about 36,000 officers, the largest in the country.
What he's saying:
- "The NYPD and the mayor did not do their job last night. I believe that."
- "Use the police. Protect property and people. Look at the videos. It was a disgrace. I don't think they used enough police to address the situation because it's inarguable, but that it was not addressed last night."
- "That's what I think hasn't worked and that has to be fixed and it has to be fixed today. Stop the looting. I do believe that the NYPD well-deployed would not need the National Guard."
The other side: NYPD commissioner Dermott Shea stressed during Mayor de Blasio's press conference Tuesday he believes he does not need to activate the National Guard.
- He also said he believes the chaos and looting were only in parts of the city, and not widespread.
- The mayor extended the curfew to Sunday beginning at 8pm.
- Protesters were "overwhelmingly peaceful," de Blasio tweeted Monday night. But some people who had "nothing to do with the cause" stole and damaged property, he added.
