N.Y. Today: Backlash for Mayor After Police Grab Child

Dec 13, 2018 · 24 comments
NYC Taxpayer (East Shore, S.I.)
I think that Amazon will be good for NYC. The tax breaks they are receiving are available as-of-right to any large corporation willing to locate in NYC. I don't support the use of a NYS 'project plan' to by-pass NYC's zoning rules. BTW Amazon workers at their brand-new distribution center on Staten Island have decided to form a union. How will wealthy social liberal Bezos respond to this? Will he deal with them or shut down the facility, which Amazon is leasing.
Freddie (New York NY)
"Tickets to the final show of Springsteen on Broadway are going for up to $42,511." I totally understand the $42,500. Like Archie Bunker used to say, it's "a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the kind of thing that only happens two or three times in a person's lifetime." But what's the $11 for? FedEx? At some price level, I'd like to think if you're rich enough to pay that much, you could get free shipping. (Maybe New York can use Amazon's influence, after all.)
Margo Channing (NYC)
@Freddie Not a fan of his, in fact if I received tickets I'd r sell them in a NY minute. Two + hours of Springsteen for me is like nails on a chalkboard.
Freddie (New York NY)
@Margo Channing - If Broadway were still in the decent prices pre-premium days, I wouldn’t have missed it. But I’m guessing this show never would have been on Broadway without premium prices. I’m glad it’s been video’d and for me, that will have to do, since it seemed what’s-the-point to see an intimate show from way upstairs. . But there’s a lot of money out there that people are willing to spend on getting great seats, preferably with no waiting, even with all the entertainment choices at home. People still want the communal feeling of laughing and clapping and cheering with 1,000 or more other people, and will pay more than ever! And that seems to be encouraging investors to roll the dice, so Broadway is thriving, and every time a show announces it's closing, another show costing many millions to put on is waiting to swoop right in!
Bill Lombard (Brooklyn)
Housing services has their own “police” even though they are unarmed. They made the decision to call the NYPD. I wish I could tell every NYC police officer to act like a London cop. Do nothing, see nothing and let the public just talk. Any other decision to enforce the law in the age of Cel phones leads to selective filming of the event and selective editing to place the police always in a bad light
NYC Taxpayer (East Shore, S.I.)
@Bill Lombard The cops had to get the kid out of the brawl. If they had left him in the middle of it they would be criticized for not getting him out of the way. This was in a welfare office where no one was kind enough to give up their seat to a woman with a baby.
Margo Channing (NYC)
@NYC Taxpayer " This was in a welfare office where no one was kind enough to give up their seat to a woman with a baby." That speaks volumes.
NYCSandi (NYC)
And the manager of the HRA office could not bestir her/himself to find a spare chair. I have sat with clients at these centers: until you see it you cannot believe the abuse citizens receive from the staff who is supposed to be assisting them. And I am well aware that some citizens can themselves be abusive: I have more than once seen people removed from the waiting area by security when they try to get information from staff by asking a simple calm question. HRA staff needs retraining!
Edwin (New York)
It would be nice to know the sequence of events that led up to the melee seen on the video. Also a removal of the effective gag order on reference to serious fraud charges in New Jersey against this woman might indicate a propensity for lawlessness. But any discussion of any of this would detract from the all important narrative of another innocent person of color spontaneously pounced upon by deranged, sadistic and racist law enforcement.
N. Smith (New York City)
If women with small children can't even be offered a seat on the crowded subway, there's no reason to expect one isn't being offered at the Human Resources Administration building. That said. Mr. de Blasio was not only slow, but ineffectual in addressing this ... Guess it's not an election year.
Margo Channing (NYC)
@N. Smith de Blasio is usually slow and ineffective except when it comes to matters of sucking up to people like Bezos. Or say a developer or two.
N. Smith (New York City)
@Margo Channing Or an election...
paul (White Plains, NY)
de Blasio is the mayor of new York City in name only. He has abdicated control because of the lack of any leadership qualities, and his inability to engage in the basic daily issues that confront all New Yorkers, such as the subway mess, the NYCHA mess, the homeless mess., and the mess that is the filthy streets of the city. Instead he gets up late, spends 3 hours a day at a gym in Brooklyn, and puts in only 10 days a month on the job. Why did anybody vote for this guy?
Margo Channing (NYC)
@paul Because he's a Democrat.
J. Faye Harding (Mt. Vernon, NY)
@paul Same could be said for the guy you voted for in the WH.
Freddie (New York NY)
Such a controversy. And the victim is pretty much assured a green Christmas, one would think. Tune of “Feliz Navidad” Police acted odd, Police acted odd, Police acted odd. We saw the video, oh my God! Police acted odd, Police acted odd, Police acted odd. To say the least, we might call it flawed. They didn’t think there would be a witness They didn’t think there would be a witness They didn’t think there would be a witness And these days that’s not so smart. Police navidad, Police navidad, Police navidad So sad their instincts are pretty bad
N. Smith (New York City)
@Freddie Good one, Freddie! -- Even though the Police weren't the only ones with the bad instincts.
Freddie (New York NY)
@N. Smith, absolutely, but I thought it was too soon to do "Mayor, Did You Know" again. And other really disconcerting stuff today: The Holland Tunnel decorations! Come on now: "The tree is not on the A even though the tree is shaped like an A." I pride myself on nothing being too silly, but even I was thinking it must be a joke, though I was glad to see the opening one-liner.
N. Smith (New York City)
@Freddie Don't worry, Freddie -- as far as this Mayor is concerned, it's probably never too soon. Also, are we surprised some of these folks don't know how to spell?...look at how long it took to get the Verrazano Bridge right.
Steve (longisland)
DeBlasio can't be bothered. Please do not interrupt his daily fully morning YMCA workout followed by espresso and croissant before he is chauffeured to City Hall at High noon to begin his grueling day of doing nothing. He is running for President if you have not figured it out. He is the perfect democrat....a big government, lazy, corrupt politician.
Margo Channing (NYC)
@Steve He could also be any perfect politician who feeds off the public teat fro life. He'd last five minutes in the private sector, he'd be fired for his laziness.
susan (brooklyn)
Don't put all Democrats in DiBlasio's corner. I have been unable to stand him ever since he was my City councilman. Just a lot of hot air .
Jack from Saint Loo (Upstate NY)
I guess de Blasio must have read his polls, and decided it was time to "apologize" to Ms. Headley. What a cynical, empty, meaningless gesture. How about instead of "apologizing", your FIRE the cops who perpetrated this sickening crime? No? Mr. de Blasio, it's almost like you're afraid of the power of the police, and their unions. I hope the cowardly police officers are fired, and Ms Headley receives millions $ from the city. And Mayor, you were elected by a tiny minority of NYC voters, but I personally will never, ever vote for you, or anyone you endorse, ever again. And thanks for showing your true colors.
Margo Channing (NYC)
@Jack from Saint Loo What the cops did was certainly wrong, secondly there should be more seating to accommodate the overflow of people waiting to and thirdly why does she deserve millions from the city? de Blasio again comes out the fool, perhaps he should get to his office during business hours and skip some session at his precious gym. Here's a thought mayor why don't you work out after hours like most working people? What a disgrace that man is.