Fiery activist, 92, tells crowd to ‘shut up’ as she defends Eric Adams

Under siege NYC mayor Eric Adams was supported by elderly civil rights leaders as New Yorkers drowned him out, shouting at him to resign after his indictment for corruption. The Democrat was flanked by respected black activists including Hazel Dukes (pictured center), 92, and the Rev. Herbert Daughtry, 90, while he denied corruption and bribery charges against him on Thursday.

Dukes, a former NAACP leader, shouted back at protestors who were drowning her out as she tried to speak in Adams’ defense outside Gracie Mansion. ‘Will you be quiet?’ Dukes asked as the crowd chanted. ‘Will you shut up?’

Dukes continued: ‘I’m 92 years of age. I’ve known this young man for over 40 years. I come with a heavy heart today but my head is unbowed. He’s going to have his day in court and we’re going to stand by him.’ A defiant Adams made a point of showing the support he enjoys from prominent black clergy and activists such as Dukes, but protesters insisted the mayor’s legal issues have nothing to do with race.

‘This is not a Black thing, this is a you thing, This is a you thing, Eric Adams,’ a protester shouted through a bullhorn as Adams tried to speak. The protester added: ‘Your policies are anti-Black, you’re a disgrace for all black people in this city. The things that you have done are unconscionable. Our children are harassed by police. This is ridiculous, this is ridiculous. You can shush me all you want, but the people are with us. This is not a black thing, this is a justice thing.’

Another protestor told the mayor he should resign because he’s an ’embarrassment.’ Another called him ‘corrupt’ and said he should be in handcuffs. Adams vowed to continue his mayoral duties and urged New Yorkers to wait to make any judgments until after he presents his defense.

‘It’s an unfortunate day. And its a painful day,’ he said. ‘But inside all of that is a day when we will finally reveal why, for 10 months, I’ve gone through this. And I look forward to defending myself.’ According to the indictment, Adams accepted tens of thousands of dollars in free flights and upgrades on Turkey’s national airline for him and his companions, stays in luxury hotel suites, as well as other amenities such as a car and driver, boat tour, a Turkish bath at a seaside hotel and high-end restaurant meals.

Adams failed to disclose his free and discounted travel, created a false paper trail to suggest he had paid it, claimed to a staffer that he deleted his text messages and directed the staffer to ensure his activities in Turkey in 2021 were shielded from public view, prosecutors alleged. The mayor and his co-conspirators, unnamed in the indictment, ‘continued their efforts to defeat scrutiny of their criminal conduct after the federal investigation into those crimes became known to them,’ the indictment said.

Last November, as FBI agents knocked on her door to execute a search warrant, Adams’ fundraiser called the mayor five times and Adams later called her phone as agents were leaving her residence, the indictment said. The fundraiser refused to tell agents who paid for her 2021 travel to Turkey, the indictment said.

Adams was in Washington, D.C. at the time, but upon learning about the search, he canceled the meeting and immediately returned to New York City. A few days later, the FBI executed a search warrant for Adams’ electronic devices. According to the indictment, Adams produced two cellphones but not the personal cellphone he used in conjunction with his alleged crimes. Adams later turned over the phone in response to a subpoena, but it was locked and required a password that Adams claimed to have forgotten, the indictment said.

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