Councilwoman accused of biting NYPD officer at Brooklyn homeless shelter protest
BENSONHURST (WABC) -- A councilmember has been arrested after allegedly biting a police chief in the arm during a protest in Brooklyn on Wednesday.
It happened at 25th Avenue and 86th Street during a protest against against a proposed men's shelter in the Bensonhurst neighborhood.
Councilwoman Susan Zhuang, 38, is charged with second and third-degree assault, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct and second-degree harassment.
She was arraigned in court Wednesday evening, and released on her own recognizance.
Borough Brooklyn South Deputy Chief of Patrol Frank DiGiacomo was checked out at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn for a large bite in his arm.
A spokesperson for Zhuang said the first-term Democratic councilwoman was arrested after trying to protect an 80-year-old woman who was being pushed against barriers.
Zhuang showed her bruised arms off to the media while her attorney stated that she will not be speaking out.
Her lawyer says they are confident that the charges will be dropped once the "full story comes out."
NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell sounded stunned.
"Councilwoman Zhuang has been a great partner with the NYPD for a long time," Chell said. "But the actions today, by assaulting one of our police officers, a deputy chief, by biting him viciously in the arm, I can't explain it right now."
Three other officers were also injured. One was treated for injuries to both knees, another to his neck.
Nine people were arrested in total, including Zhuang, for their roles in the protest.
Tensions have been simmering in Gravesend for months, after the City of New York announced plans to build a homeless shelter for 150 men on 86th Street. Opponents say it's too close to schools, day care centers and senior centers.
Residents say they're worried about crime and unstable people.
Local elected leaders are insisting that the city needs a different approach.
"Because the city did not communicate with the community, people feel frustrated, this is a homeless shelter that is built in the worst possible neighborhood that's been proposed," said William Colton, D-NYS Assembly District #47. "There's a church within 200 feet. There's four or five schools."
A spokesperson with City Hall said Mayor Eric Adams' administration is committed to building the shelter which is a first of its kind in the community to offer those experiencing homelessness the care they need to get back on their feet:
"The owner of this building has the proper permitting required to demolish the existing building. Every community must have the resources they need to support their most vulnerable neighbors, and this community has no shelters. Working with our nonprofit partners, we will provide robust support to help future shelter residents stabilize their lives and move into permanent housing. We maintain open lines of communication with the community and remain committed to ongoing engagement to address the neighborhoods' needs."
PBA President Patrick Hendry released a statement saying that they are "extremely shocked" by what happened:
"We are extremely shocked by the reported violence against NYPD members at todays protest in Brooklyn, especially because Councilmember Susan Zhuang has been a steadfast supporter of police officers during her time in the Council. There is never any excuse or justification for assaulting a police officer. There should be no double standard in this case. After a full and fair investigation, Councilmember Zhuang and anyone else involved must face full accountability for their conduct."
The city council could discipline Zhuang, but for now, they are seeking more information and will wait for the investigations to run their course.
"Violence is never acceptable and it is always important to respect city workers doing their jobs," a council spokesperson said. "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."
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