politics
February 26, 2026
Man with prior record arrested for assaulting NYPD officer in snowball fight
One man with a violent criminal record was arrested after assaulting a New York Police Department officer during Tuesday’s snowball fight in Washington Square, a scene Mayor Zohran Mamdani described as “kids throwing snowballs.”
TL;DR
- Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, with a prior violent criminal record including an arrest for armed robbery, was arrested for assaulting an NYPD officer.
- The assault occurred during a snowball fight in Washington Square, where snowballs containing ice caused lacerations to officers.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani's initial description of the event as "kids throwing snowballs" and his stance against criminal charges for participants drew criticism.
- Police advocacy groups and former/current state leaders criticized Mamdani's response, highlighting Coulibaly's adult status and criminal history.
- Critics, including former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Reps. Claudia Tenney and Nicole Malliotakis, suggested Mamdani's history of anti-NYPD statements contributed to the incident.
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