Metro

NY assemblywoman slammed for anti-cop tweet, liking post comparing NYPD to Nazis

A progressive New York lawmaker has been blasted for describing uniformed NYPD cops taking the subway as a “frightening show of intimidation” and “a massive health risk” — then liking a tweet comparing the group of officers to Nazis.

Democratic Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou, who represents parts of Lower Manhattan, made the eyebrow-raising comment Monday in response to a video showing mostly maskless officers in a Midtown Manhattan subway station following the Friday funeral for slain NYPD Officer Jason Rivera.

New York Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou was slammed for making a comment that compared NYPD officers to Nazis. HANS PENNINK

“It honestly takes a lot to take a heartbreaking tragedy and a family’s moment of mourning and turn it into a frightening show of intimidation for the whole city and be a massive health risk to every New Yorker,” Niou wrote.

“But they somehow did it.”

The lawmaker then liked a response from a Twitter user with the handle @ATStampede, who referred to Rivera’s funeral as “their fascism rally on the streets above,” the Daily News reported.

Thousands attend the funeral service for fallen NYPD Officer Jason Rivera at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on January 28, 2022. Paul Martinka
The head of the city’s largest police union blasted the left-wing lawmaker for liking the tweet comparing cops to Nazis. Paul Martinka

The tweeted reply contained photos of a Nazi march next to one showing cops gathered along Fifth Avenue for Rivera’s funeral.

Niou removed her like from the tweet after the paper reached out to her for comment about it.

Masks have been required on MTA subways since April 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and all NYPD cops, regardless of their vaccination status, are required to wear face coverings while on duty, according to a department-wide email sent in late December.

Democrat Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou made the comments in regard to a video of maskless police officers on the subway. Twitter

Rivera, 22, was gunned down in the hallway of a Harlem apartment on Jan. 21 alongside his police partner, Wilbert Mora, as they responded to a domestic disturbance call. Rivera died the night he was shot, and Mora died days later after being taken off life support.

The head of the city’s largest police union blasted the left-wing lawmaker for liking the tweet comparing cops to Nazis.

“This is why our streets have gotten out of control. Our legislators are busy boosting anti-cop hate online when they should be fixing the laws that they broke,” Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch told The Post on Wednesday.

“We’re glad that New Yorkers sent a resounding message last week and again this week,” he added. “We’re not going to let self-serving politicians divide us again.”

Fumed one Staten Island cop, “These people should learn a little about history.”

“Fascists would not allow people to speak out against them; they would be silenced,” the officer added. “This officer and his family deserve respect. These officers also allow these people to walk the streets and make comments like this no matter how ignorant they may be.”

Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou (D-Manhattan) speaks in favor of not changing bail reform legislation during a news conference outside the Assembly chamber. HANS PENNINK

A rep for Niou — who has represented the Lower East Side, the Financial District, Chinatown and Battery Park City since 2017 — did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Additional reporting by Larry Celona