Exclusive | NYC union calls for benching bad judges who spring violent thugs attacking transit workers

The public transit workers union is pushing to boot judges who spring violent criminals who assault its members — a troubling trend that’s on the rise.Eighty-seven on-duty New York City Transit and MTA bus employees have been assaulted so far this year — a 13% increase over the 77 who were assaulted during the same period in 2025 and 36% more than the 64 assaulted in the span in 2024, according to data from the Transit Workers Union local 100. Two cases where assailants attacked workers and were then released without bail have left John Chiarello, president of TWU Local 100, “mad as hell,” he said.“Here’s a classic case of total injustice,” Chiarello said.The union is “discussing actions they may take,” including a possible demonstration to call for the judges to be removed, a spokeswoman said. The first case involved Thywill Anasu, who allegedly “knocked out” BxM1 bus operator Johnny Rodriguez by slamming his head on the pavement and punching him repeatedly after a fender bender near Yonkers on April 4. The 59-year-old bus driver was making a U-turn that’s part of his regular route and made contact with Anusu’s vehicle as he sped past, video shows.Both men got out of their vehicles and Anasu, 29, “placed the victim in a chokehold, applied pressure… and threw the victim to the ground, causing the victim to hit his head on the pavement,” according to a Westchester County indictment.At his arraignment in Westchester County Court, Anasu told Judge George Fufidio in a rambling speech that the bus driver invaded his personal space.“I’m a gentle guy, I’m not a fighter,” Anasu said in court on April 30, as video of the assault was played.“He was spazzing on me.

That is probably the chokehold.My defense mechanism.”The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office requested bail in the amount of $50,000 cash and $150,000 bond, a spokeswoman said.Fufidio ignored the request and set bail at $5,000 cash or $50,000 bond, the s...