New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was met with jeers and profanity at a pro-police event on Staten Island Tuesday evening, where a protester later suffered a cardiac arrest after attempting to approach the mayor.
Mamdani spoke for less than a minute at the 43rd annual National Night Out Against Crime celebration in Midland Beach. As he took the stage, a significant portion of the crowd, comprised of some of the more than 3,500 attendees, booed and shouted for him to leave, though some attendees also cheered.
"Happy Night Out Against Crime. It’s amazing to be here for the Staten Island community!" Mamdani said during his brief remarks. He thanked local officials and Staten Island artist Scott LoBaido, who was in attendance.
Mamdani concluded his statement with "It's a real pleasure to be here. Happy National Night Out Against Crime. God bless everyone. Thank you," before departing the stage amid continued boos.
Shortly before 7 p.m., LoBaido, who had reportedly planned to question Mamdani about the mayor's intention to discontinue a phased plan to hire 5,000 additional NYPD officers, suffered a cardiac arrest, according to an FDNY spokesperson. LoBaido was reported to be in critical but stable condition later that evening.
A witness told SI Live that LoBaido had attempted to approach Mamdani as the mayor left the stage but was prevented from doing so by officers. The artist activist then stated he was not feeling well and collapsed. Emergency personnel performed CPR and chest compressions before transporting him to the hospital.
LoBaido later posted on Facebook confirming he was recovering, sharing a photo of himself in the hospital. He had previously expressed on Facebook that he took issue with Mamdani attending the event after what he described as "humiliating" the police and putting their lives in danger.
The National Night Out Against Crime event, held at over 70 locations across New York City, aims to promote "police-community partnerships to help make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live," according to the NYPD website. The Staten Island location featured family-friendly activities like bounce houses, face painting, and performances.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who was retained by Mamdani when he took office, also spoke at the event. She emphasized the collaborative nature of public safety and the relationships between officers, community members, and elected officials.
Mamdani's reception on Staten Island, a borough that voted against him in the 2025 election despite his citywide victory, highlighted the political divisions in the area.