NYC councilwoman accused of biting officer says she shouldn't have been arrested
BENSONHURST, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A New York City councilmember who was arrested during a protest on Wednesday spoke out about the incident on Thursday.
Councilwoman Susan Zhuang, 38, is accused of biting an NYPD chief during a protest against against a proposed men's shelter in the Bensonhurst neighborhood.
On Thursday, she was greeted at a community center in Gravesend by hundreds of people chanting her name and supporting her. She told the crowd she doesn't think she should have been arrested in the first place.
Zhuang is seen in photos and video pushing up against a police barricade, and then according to NYPD, opening up her mouth to bite an officer - Chief of Patrol Frank DiGiacomo - and drawing blood.
She 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.
She blames the NYPD for the protest turning violent, and leveled an accusation.
"Mistreatment by our NYPD, who I always support, it must be stopped, AAPI hate and Asian hate in any form must end," Zhuang said. "I was approached from behind, two police officers handcuffed me, one police officer pulled my hair, another officer grabbed my neck...the issue is not unique to myself, as many members in Asian community have been subject to this excessive enforcement and mistreatment by our NYPD."
Many community members have been demonstrating against the city's planned 150-person homeless shelter for adult men. They say they are worried about crime.
Wednesday's protest turned chaotic. A witness says the councilmember was trying to prevent an 81-year-old woman from getting hurt.
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams called it all disturbing.
"Violence is completely unacceptable and respect for our city workers doing their jobs is it's just not negotiable," Adams said.
The city council could discipline Zhuang, but for now, they are seeking more information and will wait for the investigations to run their course.
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