Cuomo Calls NYPD Response to Looting a ‘Disgrace’

New York - The weak response to the widespread looting and rampaging in New York City was a “disgrace,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, spreading equal blame among Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City police department.

Cuomo, despite repeated expressions of support for the protesters himself, said that he would “displace” de Blasio and call in the National Guard but it wasn’t practical at this point.

“The NYPD and the mayor did not do their job last night, I believe that,” Cuomo said at his daily press briefing. “You have 38,000 NYPD people. It is the largest police department in the United States of America. Use 38,000 people and protect property.”

“I’ve offered the National Guard, the mayor has said he can handle it with the NYPD,” Cuomo continued. “My option is to displace the mayor of New York City and bring in the National Guard as the governor in a state of emergency, and basically take over. A, I don’t think we’re at that point. B, that would be such a chaotic situation in the midst of an already chaotic situation.”

De Blasio said bringing in the National Guard was a “bad scenario” since he didn’t want armed people who didn’t understand the “the conditions in New York City.” He presumably was referring to his straitjacketing the NYPD that resulted in dozens of stores being destroyed and looted on Sunday and Monday nights.

Even President Donald Trump commented on the chaos, contrasting it with the peaceful night Washington DC had after the National Guard was called in.

“NYC, CALL UP THE NATIONAL GUARD,” the president tweeted. “The lowlifes and losers are ripping you apart. Act fast! Don’t make the same horrible and deadly mistake you made with the Nursing Homes!!!”

Photo by: Darren McGee- Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo