New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was loudly booed by sections of the crowd during a National Night Out Against Crime event in Staten Island on Tuesday, forcing him to keep his remarks to less than a minute before leaving the stage.According to local media reports, Mamdani addressed thousands of attendees gathered at Midland Beach during the NYPD’s 43rd National Night Out Against Crime celebration, an annual event aimed at strengthening police-community ties.Videos shared on social media showed people shouting at him to leave as he walked to the podium, while others gave him thumbs-down gestures.Despite the hostile reception, Mamdani smiled throughout his brief address.
Brief speech amid hostile reception
“Happy Night Out Against Crime. It’s amazing to be here for the Staten Island community,” Mamdani told the crowd.He also thanked local officials and artist Scott LoBaido before concluding with, “God bless everyone. Thank you.”His appearance lasted under a minute before he exited the stage. According to local reports, the mayor later stopped to pose for photographs with some attendees despite the vocal backlash.
Protester collapses after trying to approach mayor
Shortly after Mamdani’s remarks, Staten Island artist and activist Scott LoBaido suffered a cardiac arrest during the event.According to witnesses cited by local media, LoBaido had been part of a group hoping to question the mayor over his reported decision to halt a phased plan to add 5,000 NYPD officers.Witnesses said he attempted to approach Mamdani as the mayor left the stage but was stopped by officers.Soon afterward, LoBaido reportedly said he was feeling unwell, knelt down and collapsed. Emergency responders performed CPR and administered oxygen before taking him to hospital.Later that night, LoBaido posted on Facebook from hospital, indicating he was recovering.
Event promotes police-community partnerships
The National Night Out Against Crime was held at more than 70 locations across New York City on Tuesday. The annual initiative is designed to promote partnerships between police and local communities through family-friendly events featuring games, performances, food and community activities.NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who also attended the Staten Island event, thanked officers for their work and stressed the importance of cooperation between law enforcement, residents and elected officials in maintaining public safety.While Mamdani won New York City’s 2025 mayoral election, Staten Island, the city’s most Republican-leaning borough, overwhelmingly voted against him, contributing to the hostile reception he received on Tuesday.