De Blasio Learned Of Daughter's Protest Arrest From Media

NEW YORK CITY – The media found out Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter had been arrested in a Manhattan protest before he did, he said Monday.

The first he knew about Chiara de Blasio's arrest for blocking traffic on Broadway Saturday night was a phone call from a reporter asking for comment.

"If I had known my daughter was arrested, I would have been the first to let you know," he said at a press conference about the weekend's protests Monday morning.

"I have a 25-year-old daughter who lives her own life. I knew that she had been peacefully protesting, but I never heard from her after that. ...I found out from a media inquiry and I reached out to her.

"...The media knew about this before I knew about it."

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Chiara de Blasio was taken into custody on Broadway at 12th Street and given a desk appearance ticket for blocking traffic before being released Saturday. The news of her arrest didn't break until Sunday night.

She is one of several hundred who have been detained in the city since protests over the death of Minnesota man George Floyd at the hands of cops first started in the city Thursday. Though most have been peaceful, there has been widespread violence and looting.

Chiara de Blasio's arrest was condemned in a tweet from the Police Benevolent Associtation, which released a copy of her arrest report and the statement, “How can the NYPD protect the city of NY from rioting anarchist when the Mayors object throwing daughter is one of them. Now we know why he is forbidding Mounted units to be mobilized and keeping the NYPD from doing their jobs."

The tweet was later taken down.

But de Blasio supported his daughter.

"I am proud of her that she cares so much and she wants to go out there and do something about it," he said.