A large-scale snowball fight in New York City descended into chaos after participants pelted police officers with snowballs, injuring four and prompting a criminal investigation.
The New York Police Department said Tuesday it is investigating those who threw snowballs at officers responding to the scene in Manhattan's Washington Square Park.
Record snowfall blanketed New York from midday Sunday through Monday noon, with some areas receiving up to 20 inches of snow accompanied by strong winds. The city imposed a temporary travel ban during the storm.
After the ban was lifted Monday afternoon, a social media content creator organized a mass snowball fight at the park, which began around 3 p.m. Dozens of participants divided into two sides for the event.
The situation escalated when some participants began throwing snowballs randomly at passersby. A bystander called 911, bringing officers to the scene.
Video footage shows participants hurling snowballs at NYPD officers who had taken no particular action. Some threw at close range, targeting officers' heads, necks, and faces. One officer was knocked down after being struck in the face. The assailants fled the scene afterward.
Four officers sustained injuries including facial lacerations and were transported to hospitals, NYPD said.
"The behavior seen in the video is disgraceful and borders on criminal," Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. "Our detectives are investigating this matter."
The city's largest police union issued a statement calling the incident "not just a snowball fight but an assault," demanding those involved be identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
Mayor Zoran Mamdani wrote on X that officers "worked to keep New Yorkers safe and traffic moving during historic snowfall" and deserved respect. "If you need to throw snowballs, throw them at me," he added.
However, Mamdani sparked controversy when asked about potential criminal charges, responding: "What I saw in the video looked like a simple snowball fight."
NYPD is considered one of the largest and most powerful police organizations in the United States, with approximately 36,000 officers.