New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing fierce criticism from police union leaders after encouraging New Yorkers to protest Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu during his expected visit to the city for the United Nations General Assembly, with officers warning that the mayor’s rhetoric could make an already demanding security operation even more dangerous, the NY Post reports.

The backlash comes after the NYPD spent weeks managing security for a series of massive events, including the FIFA World Cup, the New York Knicks’ NBA championship celebration, Independence Day festivities, and America 250 events that drew millions of people to the city. Officers now say they are preparing for another major deployment as demonstrations are expected during Netanyahu’s visit.

“The mayor’s activist posturing puts police officers on the street in a terrible position,” NYPD Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said. “Protests during the UN General Assembly are nothing new, but when the mayor of the city is actively calling for demonstrations, violent agitators will assume they have permission to cause as much havoc as possible.

“Those same agitators know that the NYPD’s protest response is already hamstrung by the dangerous lawsuit settlement the city signed over the PBA’s opposition,” Hendry said. “The mayor’s heated rhetoric could be enough to push demonstrations over the edge into chaos.”

Mamdani has repeatedly targeted Netanyahu since launching his mayoral campaign, previously pledging to have the Israeli prime minister arrested if he entered New York in connection with a 2024 arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Earlier this week, however, the mayor acknowledged that he lacks the authority to arrest Netanyahu. Even so, he encouraged residents to exercise their right to demonstrate during the visit.

“This is a city where, if anyone feels a level of frustration or opposition, protest is something that we will always respect,” he told reporters at City Hall this week. “That New Yorkers can express themselves, whether they are in support or in opposition, no matter on whatever topic.

“And I’ve always said that when we respect our Constitution, we also respect our First Amendment.”

Police officers noted that the department had just completed an extraordinary stretch of public safety operations, with many officers working 12-hour shifts throughout the summer to secure major events that concluded without significant incident.

Now, they say, the mayor’s comments have created yet another challenge.

“Was he serious?” one incredulous Manhattan cop asked.

“Cops just came off a crazy six weeks between the Knicks and the World Cup working long hours every day, and now he’s going to subject them to unnecessary problems,” the cop said.

A Brooklyn police officer dismissed Mamdani as “nothing more than a cheap politician looking for cheap headlines,” adding that the mayor either knew—or should have known—that he “didn’t have the power” to arrest Netanyahu.

Another veteran officer argued that Mamdani has failed to recognize the responsibilities of his office.

“When will he realize that he is not an activist anymore?

“He should be governing the city and trying to keep the peace, instead of inciting a riot with his rhetoric,” he said. “He is basically telling the crazy people to do what they want, and there will be no repercussions. If a cop gets hurt, it will be on him, but that is the least of his worries.”

Despite their criticism of the mayor, police union leaders said the NYPD will be fully prepared to provide security when world leaders arrive for the United Nations General Assembly in September.

“Mayor Mamdani still acts like he’s leading a protest movement instead of running the largest city in America,” said Scott Munro, president of the NYPD Detectives Endowment Association.

“If Mayor Mamdani wants a reminder of how important the First Amendment is, perhaps New York’s law enforcement unions should organize a lawful demonstration outside Gracie Mansion and let him experience firsthand the consequences of encouraging mass protests without guardrails,” he added.

{Matzav.com}