A New York City Council member was charged Wednesday with biting a police officer during a chaotic protest over the construction of a new homeless shelter in her district. Brooklyn Democrat Susan Zhuang was released without bond after being arraigned on a felony assault charge and various misdemeanors and violations, the AP reports. Images and video posted to social media showed police clashing with protesters at the planned site for the shelter.
In one video, a woman who appears to be Zhuang can be seen alongside other protesters trying to wrestle a barricade away from police as an officer tries to handcuff her. Another video appears to show Zhuang being led away by police in handcuffs. A court complaint said that when Zhuang and others were told to stop pushing barricades toward officers, the council member turned her head toward Deputy Police Chief Frank DiGiacomo, bit his forearm, and stiffened and twisted her body as officers tried to handcuff her.
The bite broke DiGiacomo's skin and caused "substantial pain," and he went to a hospital for treatment, the complaint said. Police, citing an arrest report, said earlier that Zhuang was blocking officers from getting to a woman on the ground. At an unrelated news conference Wednesday afternoon, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell described Zhuang as a "great partner" with the NYPD for a long time. He said of the allegations: "I can't explain it right now." Zhuang posted a video on X early Wednesday that appeared to show people arguing with an officer about whether there was a permit for construction at the site.
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