Adams Blasts NYPD Protest Settlement That He Approved, Touted

NEW YORK CITY — A settlement that reshapes how the NYPD responds to protests is letting demonstrators "just do whatever they want," said Mayor Eric Adams about a deal he both approved and touted.

Adams blasted the reforms Tuesday and mischaracterized them in such a way that his administration's own lawyer interjected to clarify what they do and do not allow.

The mayor's comments also contrasted wildly with a laudatory video he made about the agreement reached in September that settled lawsuits over the NYPD brutal, chaotic response to 2020's George Floyd demonstrations and set up new protocols for how cops handle protests.

"This agreement is another step in making the reforms necessary to move our city forward," he said in the video.

"It will ensure that we are protecting public safety during these spontaneous demonstrations, while also respecting protesters' First Amendment rights."

By Tuesday, Adams' tune had changed almost completely — as had circumstances across the world.

The settlement was reached before the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel inspired nearly 500 protests across the city, officials said.

Adams claimed the changes in the settlement — which he said Tuesday his administration approved because the city faced a worse court outcome — have effectively let protesters take over the city's streets.

He also worried about whether protesters could disrupt New Year's Eve events.

"I just don’t believe you could run a city this complex where people could just do whatever they want," he said.

That is false, a spokesperson from the New York Civil Liberties Union told Patch in response.

The settlement sets up a four-tiered system for how the NYPD responds to protests. All protests are presumed to start at the lowest tier, meaning a minimal police presence.

From there, the NYPD can move to higher tiers if officials can show there are risks to critical infrastructure or that violence is imminent.

The settlement was also hailed by city law department officials as one of their top cases of 2023.

"Furthering Public Safety: The Law Department played a key role in implementing reforms on the way the New York Police Department handles protests, enabling the NYPD to tailor its response to demonstrations based on specific conditions, ensuring the enforcement of the law while preserving citizens’ rights of free expression," the entry states.

Lisa Zornberg, the chief counsel for City Hall, noted that tiered system after Adams bemoaned protesters taking over Times Square and Grand Central.

"It does not allow protesters to block access to critical infrastructure," she said. "And just want to be clear on that."