Susan Zhuang, a New York City councilwoman for District 43 in Brooklyn, has been arrested on felony assault charges, among others, after she allegedly bit a police chief during a protest.
The councilwoman, who took office earlier this year, has since been released without bail and pleaded not guilty to all of the charges levied against her.
The politician was protesting the construction of a homeless shelter in her neighborhood and allegedly grabbed police barriers and pushed them against officers. Police were trying to help a woman who had fallen, and officers grabbed Zhuang in an attempt to get her away from the barriers.
During that exchange, Zhuang bit a police chief and resisted arrest, according to a New York City Hall spokesperson. Her alleged bite left a mark on the chief and drew blood.
HOLY MOLARS. Check out the bite marks.
NYC Councilwoman Susan Zhuang bites a police officer.pic.twitter.com/FrvAqIvOPj
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) July 18, 2024
“Councilwoman Zhuang has been a great partner to the New York City Police Department for a long time,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. “But actions today, of assaulting one of our police officers, a deputy chief, by biting him viciously in the arm, I can’t explain it right now.”
Zhuang and some of her constituents were ardently against the shelter being placed there because of concerns that it could raise the crime level in the area.
“This is exactly why we should not build shelter next to our schools, day care centers, senior centers,” Zhuang posted Saturday on X, citing a New York Post report about rising arrests near city homeless shelters.
City Hall condemned the violence and expressed the importance of respecting “city workers doing their jobs.”
“Violence is never acceptable and it is always important to respect city workers doing their jobs,” a city council spokesperson said in a statement. “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 with respect to this matter.”
New York Mayor Eric Adams, who spent more than two decades as a police officer, reacted to the councilwoman’s arrest.
“First of all, I hope the chief is okay,” Adams told PIX11 in an interview. “It was a pretty nasty bite in his forearm. I was a little surprised that this happened with the councilwoman. She’s extremely supportive of police. These are emotional issues and no one wants [a] shelter open in the area. That council district, that area has no shelters at all.”
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Adams said he would contact Zhuang and that “we’re going to come to a resolution.”
“She’s newly elected and has been a real partner for the law enforcement community and for City Hall,” Adams said. “It’s unfortunate this happened.”
