A Brooklyn City Councilwoman was arrested for assaulting an NYPD cop Wednesday during an unruly protest against the construction of a homeless shelter in Bensonhurst, police said.
Councilwoman Susan Zhuang (D-Brooklyn) was taken into custody during the 7 a.m. protest that drew about 150 demonstrators to 86th St. near 25th Ave., cops said.
Zhuang is expected to be charged with assault, although criminal charges were not immediately filed. Several other demonstrators were also taken into custody during the heated protest, cops said.
In a video posted on X, Zhuang recorded herself screaming at an NYPD one-star chief, claiming the homeless shelter was being built without the proper permits.
“They do not have the permits,” she screams. “You can’t only protect the developer, that’s no public protection.”
There is no permits. Mayor office allowed construction at 5 am in our neighborhood pic.twitter.com/ERR4uo3KPg
— Susan Zhuang 莊文怡 (@susanzhuangnyc) July 17, 2024
Zhuang goes on to claim Mayor Adams approved the construction of the shelter without the proper permits.
“Is the mayor above the law?” she asked.
A second video of the protest shows cops racing to put up metal barricades to hold back protesters trying to charge the construction site as workers boarded up the address.
Felix Tager, Zhuang’s spokesman, claims she was arrested “while trying to help an elderly woman.”
“She was trying to help a woman who was getting pushed into the barricade,” Tager told the Daily News.
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