Hochul calls on Zohran Mamdani to apologize to police for calling NYPD racist and a major threat to public safety

ALBANY – Zohran Mamdani needs to apologize for calling the NYPD “racist,” Gov.Kathy Hochul said Friday, in her strongest personal rebuke yet of the Democratic mayoral candidate.“I believe an apology is in order,” Hochul told reporters when asked about Mamdani’s half-baked promise to The New York Times on Thursday that he’d apologize to cops for the controversial statements.He said in an interview with the Times that the comments were made “at the height of frustration” against law enforcement in summer 2020, when anti-police protests raged nationwide in the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis.“We don’t need an investigation to know that the NYPD is racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety,” Mamdani wrote in a June 28, 2020, social media post.The socialist Queens assemblyman first paused when asked if he should say sorry to city cops, then “went on to explain how his views had changed,” the Times story states.“After he was asked again if he owed officers an apology, he said, ‘Yes.'”While he has yet to extend the promised apology for the offending post — or any of his other number of statements deploring cops — Hochul still delivered praise for the mayoral race frontrunner.

“I have a lot of respect for him for saying that and that he is going to do what he can to earn the respect of the men or women of the NYPD,” Hochul said as she stood in front of a SWAT vehicle while touting state funding for local law enforcement agencies.Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.

Please provide a valid email address.By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Never miss a story.“I respect them immensely.

I’ve seen them in action.So I think it’s an appropriate response.”Mamdani, since his stunning victory in the June Democratic primary — and in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of NYPD Officer D...