NEW YORK (AP) — Authorities in New York City have taken a 27-year-old man into custody Thursday following a chaotic winter scene where police officers sustained injuries after being bombarded with snow and ice during a large-scale snowball fight at Washington Square Park earlier this week.
According to the New York Police Department, the individual faces charges related to “assaulting our officers,” as stated in a department social media announcement. Department representatives indicated that specific charge details were not immediately available.
Details regarding legal representation for the detained individual remain unclear at this time.
The Thursday arrest stems from Monday’s snowball battle, which investigators believe was coordinated by social media influencers. The event created pandemonium as hundreds gathered in the well-known Manhattan park to hurl snowballs during an active winter storm.
Law enforcement responded to Washington Square Park following emergency calls reporting disruptive behavior. Footage from the scene captures two officers being pelted relentlessly with snowballs while an unruly mob shouted and recorded with mobile devices. The responding officers physically confronted several individuals, forcing at least two to the ground while navigating the park walkway under constant snowball bombardment.
Department officials report that numerous officers sustained direct hits to their faces from the projectiles. According to police union representatives, two officers required medical attention at a local hospital for injuries to their faces, heads, and necks.
Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani characterized the incident as a “snowball fight that got out of hand” and expressed skepticism about pursuing criminal prosecution. His administration had not provided additional commentary by Thursday morning.
The police department continues investigating the matter, having distributed photographs of four individuals they seek to question. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch has condemned the snowball confrontation as “disgraceful” and “criminal.”
