A Huge Apple mayoral candidate discussion board turned ugly for former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Wednesday evening when a mob of indignant protesters ambushed the stage and chanted, “Cuomo lies, individuals die.”
The disgraced pol, who resigned from the governor’s workplace in 2021 following a slew of scandals, was answering a query about public security on the Black Agenda’s Democratic mayoral discussion board at Medgar Evers Faculty in Brooklyn when a horde of demonstrators funneled into the auditorium and stormed the stage.
The stunt, which elicited audible groans from the viewers, solely lasted for a couple of moments earlier than the NYPD tried to wrangle the agitators and escort them out of the constructing.
“Cuomo lies, individuals die,” protesters chanted as cops intervened.
One other particular person screamed, “F–ok you, Cuomo!” throughout the chaotic scene.
Cuomo, 67, remained on stage as demonstrators surrounded him — and at one level stood as much as shake the fingers of some attendees who supplied him phrases of assist.
The Metropolis Corridor frontrunner disregarded the incident as political theater and resumed the occasion, quipping that there’s all the time “drama” in politics.
“They wish to play political video games,” he stated.
“That’s a part of the issue on this system, proper? An excessive amount of politics, not sufficient substance, not sufficient dialogue,” Cuomo continued, later touting his achievements in workplace throughout a information interview.
“I’ve been HUD secretary, legal professional basic and governor for 11 years. These points are contentious, and folks have completely different opinions, and God bless. , I don’t know that there’s a main mission that I’ve taken on the place there wasn’t variations of opinion.”
The ex-governor has been fiercely criticized over his administration’s disastrous March 2020 resolution to ship contaminated COVID-19 sufferers into nursing houses — which resulted in as many as 15,000 deaths — throughout the worst interval of the killer pandemic.
Cuomo, who has lengthy disputed allegations of sexual harassment by a number of girls, was additionally accused of undercounting the nursing residence dying toll by as a lot as 50%.
Henry Butler, who led the discussion board, slammed those that interrupted the in any other case sleepy occasion.
“One of many points and issues with the Democratic Celebration, who declare to be a giant tent celebration, is that in case you don’t have a sure view, then they attempt to shut you down,” Butler stated.
“And I believe it’s a shame after I see a bunch of younger, white progressive varieties (come into our house). Don’t inform us who we must always vote for, we are able to suppose for ourselves, we’re educated.”