A New York City council member has been accused of biting a New York Police Department (NYPD) officer during a protest in Brooklyn. According to the New York Post, Susan Zhuang was protesting the construction of a new homeless shelter at the corner of 25th Avenue and 86th Street in Bensonhurst on Wednesday. In a viral video of the incident, New York City Councilwoman Ms Zhuang is allegedly seen biting Officer Frank DiGiacomo, the NYPD Chief of Patrol, when he tried to pull her away from the barriers.
Mr DiGiacomo's arm was left with teeth marks and broken skin, as evidenced by a photo and detailed in the criminal complaint. He was treated with an "anti-viral cocktail" and given a tetanus shot.
"We are disappointed, disappointed in councilmember Susan Zhuang like she is a great partner, but we will not tolerate it. This is what she did to the officer. Bit the officer on the arm, as you can see the bite wound," NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Kaz Daughtry said.
Meanwhile, the councilwoman said she supports the NYPD but that there should be no double standard for conduct. She claimed she was protecting an elderly woman while protesting the homeless shelter. Ms Zhuang further said she informed the police that a woman was trapped under the barricade and needed assistance, but the officers did not respond to her request.
"Mistreatment by our NYPD, who I always support, must be stopped, AAPI hate and Asian hate in any form must end. I was approached from behind, two police officers handcuffed me, one police officer pulled my hair, and another officer grabbed my neck...the issue is not unique to me, as many members of the Asian community have been subject to this excessive enforcement and mistreatment by our NYPD'', she told ABC7NY.
She has been charged with felony assault, obstruction of governmental administration and resisting arrest. She was released following an arraignment Wednesday evening and is scheduled to appear in court on October 15.
A council source told The Post that Zhuang's behaviour is "disqualifying for a council member."
"Violence is never acceptable and it is always important to respect city workers doing their jobs. We have seen the public footage circulating of today's incident and will be seeking to learn more about the details. The Council will respect the processes of the NYPD and Brooklyn District Attorney concerning this matter," a City Council spokesperson said.
