Jumaane Williams Arrested At Albany Rent Reform Protest

NEW YORK — New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams was arrested Tuesday during a tenants-rights protest at the State Capitol in Albany. The Democratic official was handcuffed around 2:30 p.m. outside Gov. Andrew Cuomo's second-floor office at the statehouse, said William Gerlich, a spokesman for Williams.

A video posted to Twitter shows a state trooper cuffing Williams as other activists chant and cheer. He was later released, Gerlich said.

Williams was among 61 people charged with disorderly conduct following the protest in support of reforms to the state's rent laws, said Beau Duffy, a spokesman for the New York State Police. Two of them have also been charged with assault for allegedly striking the state Assembly's sergeant at arms, Duffy said.

The rally drew hundreds of activists pushing for reforms to the state's rent regulations, which are set to expire on June 15.

"We wanted to make sure that they heard the pressures from us, and many of us put our body on the line," Williams said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

The protest was led by Housing Justice for All, an activist campaign supporting nine bills that would strengthen tenant protections across New York State. It came as lawmakers work to reform the state's rent laws in the last days of the Legislature's session, which closes June 19.

Williams has a history of getting cuffed at protests — a fact he's used to bolster his image as an "activist elected official." His campaign website boasts that he has been "arrested more than any other sitting elected official."

Williams was among 18 protesters arrested in January 2018 after immigration officials detained the immigrant-rights activist Ravi Ragbir. Williams fought the charges at trial but was convicted.