Global Courant 2023-05-13 02:20:36
Law students graduating from the City University of New York (CUNY) turned their backs on New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) in protest as he gave their commencement speech Friday.
Video posted on social media showed many of the graduates stood still and looked to the back of the room as Adams spoke. The mayor also received some boos and screams.
“We have many challenges, many things that require discipline. And just like you see these graduates here, I know what it’s like to protest,” he said, followed by some yelling back.
Adams has faced some controversy over the past week for his response to the death of Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old mentally ill homeless man who was killed in a subway station earlier this month by Marine veteran Daniel Penny.
Penny put Neely in a choke hold, causing him to lose consciousness. Neely was later pronounced dead at a hospital and an autopsy ruled his death a homicide.
Penny was charged with second-degree manslaughter this week. His lawyers have said he killed Neely in self-defense, while lawyers for Neely’s family said Neely did no harm to anyone.
Neely was black while Penny is white.
Adams was criticized for his initial comments on the subject, which were not denouncing Penny’s actions and emphasizing subway drivers’ rights to act in some situations. He later called the incident a “tragedy that should never have happened” and vowed to take action to support mental health.
The New York Daily News filed a protest to Adams at the graduation ceremony came a day after some of the university’s students and professors opposed proposed cuts to Adams’s budget. Comptroller Brad Lander estimated that the cuts would cost CUNY 235 faculty and staff positions.
Adams also received applause at some points of his speech, including when he said, “I’m the mayor because I know how to speak for the countless number of people in this city.”
Fabien Levy, Adams’ press secretary, told The Hill in a statement that he respects the right of protesters to protest peacefully, as he has done “countless times” during his career.
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“As the mayor always says, this city may have 8.8 million people, but it also has 35 million opinions,” Levy wrote. “We thank these graduates for their entry into law and their willingness to serve their communities — helping the underprivileged, drafting public policy and legislation, or holding public office themselves.”
“The mayor looks forward to seeing these graduates serve our city in the future,” he added.
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