Disturbance at Manhattan Hotel Leads to Arrests, Including Former Mayor’s Son
Dante de Blasio, the son of former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, was among 66 individuals arrested during a disruption at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan earlier this week. This incident, which occurred on Tuesday, was associated with an anti-ICE protest that escalated as some claimed the hotel was sheltering ICE agents, although this allegation remains unverified.
Charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, Mr. de Blasio’s arrest was first reported by the New York Post. The unrest at the hotel followed the tragic shooting of Alex Preti, an ICU nurse who was killed by Border Patrol agents in the city just days prior, and it mirrored similar tensions between activists and federal law enforcement in Minneapolis.
According to reports, acts of hostility in Minnesota were described as “not peaceful.” In a prior incident, an activist named Renee Good was fatally shot earlier this month during a confrontation with ICE agents, where she allegedly drove her car at them.
Mr. de Blasio expressed his views in a text message stating that ICE’s activities contradict America’s foundational values. He commented, “ICE’s violent and authoritarian tactics are un-American. Suppressing protests and harming citizens for raising their voices is a direct contradiction to our nation’s principles.” Furthermore, he insisted that ICE has no legitimate role in New York City.
When questioned about the characterization of the shooting as “murder,” especially since no charges were filed, he emphasized the importance of respecting due process. He remarked, “Of course we have to respect due process, but the videos of the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Preti are shockingly clear. We need an immediate and fair investigation.”
Interestingly, Dante, a Yale graduate, is the child of a well-known political figure who once faced scandal himself, involving the use of police security for personal purposes. The elder de Blasio had sought a progressive presidential campaign in 2020 and, regarding his son’s recent legal troubles, expressed pride in Dante’s actions against ICE, even using the hashtag #AbolishICE to support his stance.
