‘You can’t hide behind your black wife and children’: New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams tells Bill de Blasio to show leadership and stop using his family as a political shield
- Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has accused Mayor Bill de Blasio of hiding behind his black spouse and children during the Black Lives Matter protests
- Williams tweeted his horror during the week after witnessing the NYPD use force on nonviolent protestors
- Williams has called the curfew ill-advised and said he was ashamed of de Blasio
- Days of protests, sometimes violent, have followed in many cities across the country in response to the death of George Floyd while in police custody
New York Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has lambasted Mayor Bill de Blasio and accused him of hiding behind his biracial family after coming under criticism over his handling of the protests and rioting that have blighted the city this week.
Williams said that the mayor used his own family as a political shield.
‘This is me talking, like, you can no longer hide behind your black wife and children, not anymore. You’re exposed now. We are at a time when we need your leadership. It is not there,’ Williams said during a press conference live-streamed on Facebook Friday.
New York Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has lambasted Mayor Bill De Blasio and accused him of hiding behind his biracial family after coming under criticism over his handling of the protests and rioting that have blighted the city this week
Williams tweeted his disgust at how ‘peaceful protesters’ were treated during this week’s protests
Mayor Bill de Blasio is married to Chirlane McCray, His children, Dante and Chiara de Blasio, can also be seen in this picture
De Blasio’s wife, first lady Chirlane McCray, is black and the couple share two children, Dante, 23 and Chiara, 25.
During his Facebook Live broadcast Williams explained how he believed the NYPD should adopt a hands-off approach to those protesters who are caught demonstrating after 8pm despite the city adopting a curfew.
Williams lays blame squarely with the mayor for failing to ensure the demonstrations were peaceful.
‘Don’t put additional tension spots and say you got to be home by this time’, Williams said.
NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Wiilliams is pictured holding a press conference in Brooklyn, criticizing Mayor de Blasio for implementing a curfew and adding an additional 4,000 officers
Jumaane Williams speaks during memorial service for George Floyd on Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn at a memorial service and march for justice
Chirlane McCray and Bill de Blasio are seen at the George Floyd Memorial protest at Brooklyn’s Camden Plaza Park. The mayor was heckled during the protest
‘It’s like you’re not even trying. I don’t know how much you care at his point to put forth a plan. I guess it’s good to show up at a George Floyd memorial, but where’s your plan?’ Williams asked.
Williams later then said: ‘This time we’re in is not about the mayor’s family or any one family, but the thousands of families and people across the city who are looking for leadership and action but aren’t receiving it.’
Williams, who attended a rally in downtown Brooklyn earlier in the week, expressed outrage that peaceful demonstrations were broken up after cops began physically pushing protesters out.
‘I can’t believe what I just witnessed & experienced,’ Williams wrote on Twitter, calling the use of force on nonviolent protesters ‘disgusting.’
‘I can’t believe what I just witnessed & experienced. The force used on nonviolent protesters was disgusting. No looting/no fires. Chants of ‘peaceful protest’…’. he wrote.
Williams also called the curfew ill-advised and said he was ashamed of de Blasio.
Williams is pictured speaking with NYPD officials to de-escalate a standoff between law enforcement officers and a crowd of protesters during a march that violated a citywide curfew
Protests have continued throughout the week in New York City including on Friday in Brooklyn
He also shared a video taken outside Brooklyn Borough Hall where he was heard questioning cops’ heavy-handed tactics on participants of a peaceful demonstration.
‘There’s no looting, there’s no fires, why are we pushing everyone?’ he can be heard saying.
On Thursday, de Blasio was booed off stage at a George Floyd memorial in Brooklyn.
The mayor was attempting to state ‘Black lives matter in New York’ when he was heckled.
‘Not to you!’ one person yelled out while the mayor’s wife stood by his side, according to the New York Post.
The mayors office has so far not returned a request for comment.
Demonstrators are pictured in New York denouncing systemic racism in law enforcement and calling for the defunding of police departments in Brooklyn on Friday