New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was met with loud boos and jeers as he attempted to address a pro-police event in Staten Island on Tuesday evening, lasting less than a minute before exiting the stage.
A protester suffered a cardiac arrest shortly before 7 p.m. while attempting to question Mamdani at the 43rd annual NYPD Patrol Borough National Night Out Against Crime celebration in Midland Beach. The event drew approximately 3,500 attendees, according to local reports.
Immediate Response and Core Facts
Mamdani arrived at the event and took the stage, where he delivered brief remarks before the crowd drowned out his voice with chants of "get out of here" and "nobody wants you." Video footage shows the mayor smiling as he thanked the crowd with a hand-over-his-heart gesture before waving and walking offstage. The booing and jeers continued as he exited, with some attendees yelling expletives.
During the event, Staten Island artist Scott LoBaido suffered a cardiac arrest after attempting to question Mamdani about his stance on a phased plan to hire 5,000 additional NYPD officers. LoBaido, known for his veteran advocacy and anti-Mamdani artwork, was in critical but stable condition by 9 p.m., according to the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).
Context and Background
The National Night Out Against Crime event is an annual NYPD initiative aimed at fostering community-police relations. Staten Island is the only borough that did not vote for Mamdani in the November 2025 mayoral election, where he received 22.7% of the vote compared to 55.4% for Andrew Cuomo and 21.3% for Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani’s brief remarks included a greeting to the crowd and acknowledgment of local officials, though his speech was cut short by the vocal backlash. The event organizers attempted to regain control, but the crowd persisted in booing and shaking their fists as he left.
LoBaido, who had planned to question Mamdani, was unable to approach the mayor before suffering the medical emergency. His attendance at the event was tied to criticism of Mamdani’s proposed cuts to police hiring plans, which had been a point of contention in his administration.
The mayor’s office has not issued an immediate statement regarding the incident or the protester’s condition.