A large crowd of winter enthusiasts gathered in a Manhattan park on Monday afternoon, engaging in a rowdy snowball fight that caught the attention of both police and bystanders.
According to the NYPD, they were alerted to a disturbance around 4 p.m. as the situation became increasingly chaotic.
Officers witnessed what can only be described as mayhem, with hundreds of people launching snowballs at each other and even at passing cars, as reported by police and other sources.
One participant mentioned, “A snowball fight erupted during the snowstorm in New York City. It was total chaos.”
He also added, “This isn’t safe—someone hit me in the ear and it’s been ringing for 20 minutes.”
At one point, a group targeted an NYPD vehicle as an officer entered the car and moved along the adjacent street near Greenwich Village.
There were no reported injuries during the incident, despite the disorder.
Some people within the crowd were seen throwing snowballs at officers, while at least one officer brandished pepper spray, warning folks to keep their distance.
Police used megaphones to urge the crowd to enjoy themselves, but advised against throwing snowballs at cars.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch noted that the department is looking into the unusual turn of events.
In her statement, she expressed, “Let me be clear: the actions described are shameful and criminal.”
The Police Benevolent Association, representing the city’s police officers, criticized the snowball fight as a “despicable attack” on law enforcement.
They declared, “This is unacceptable and outrageous. This behavior is indicative of the environment facing New York City officers.” They urged for those involved to be identified, arrested, and charged with assaulting a police officer, calling for city leaders to condemn the incident.
Scott Munro, chairman of the Detectives Endowment Association, shared similar sentiments, stating, “What we witnessed today in Washington Square Park was not harmless fun; it was a deliberate and risky attack on a uniformed officer.” He reassured that detectives will relentlessly pursue those responsible for the incident.
