Suspect Escapes Assault Charge in NYPD Snowball Attack in All-Too-Familiar Scene
“So why wasn’t assault charged? Why was harassment charged? Why do they feel that that didn’t cause an injury to a police officer, which he clearly, clearly has an injury below his eye?”
On Thursday, the NYPD announced it had made its first arrest stemming from a Monday snowballing incident, which saw police officers repeatedly get pelted with snowballs, some of them the size of boulders, after being called out to Washington Square Park to investigate allegations of unruly behavior among some who were gathered for a pre-planned snowball fight event.
Multiple officers were injured with lacerations to the face and had to be treated at a nearby hospital, according to the NYPD, which is facing the possibility of budget cuts under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a longtime Defund the Police proponent.
27-year-old Gusmane Coulibaly, otherwise bizarrely known as “Diaper Man” and who three weeks ago was arrested for attempted robbery, was the suspect taken into custody.
BREAKING: NYPD arrests man after officers were attacked with snowballs in Washington Square Park
Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, is charged with assault on a police otticer, obstructing government administration, and disorderly conduct
V/ @ScooterCasterNY & ABC7 NY pic.twitter.com/gxZn4mBln2
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) February 26, 2026
He is one of four snowballers whose images were released by the NYPD in an effort to track down the alleged perpetrators and bring them to justice. The other three remain at large:
NYPD releases images of 4 people wanted for questioning after officers hit with snowballs https://t.co/hX8IzPwJFd pic.twitter.com/Qph5tKT69G
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) February 25, 2026
Though NYC Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed Coulibaly had been arrested and charged with assault, we learned Thursday night that prosecutors from the Manhattan DA’s office will not be pursuing assault charges against him:
Manhattan prosecutors declined to pursue an assault charge against Gusmane Coulibaly on Thursday night, instead charging him with misdemeanor obstructing government administration and a harassment violation in connection with the viral Washington Square Park snowball fight.
Coulibaly, 27, was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday evening and released on supervised release…
[…]
In court, prosecutors said that after reviewing the evidence, they were unable to prove that an officer suffered a physical injury caused directly by Coulibaly’s conduct and therefore did not pursue an assault charge. They said the investigation remains ongoing.
NEW: Assault charge DROPPED in viral Washington Square Park snowball fight case.
DA Office declined to move forward with an assault charge against 27-year-old Gusmane Coulibaly, instead filing a misdemeanor count of obstructing governmental administration and a harassment… pic.twitter.com/RTdrUAliLS
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) February 27, 2026
Understandably, Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Hendry was perplexed as to why the assault charge was dropped:
Hendry claimed that Coulibaly and the three suspects still at large knowingly packed the snow with ice and rocks before launching it at cops — and balked at the “downplayed” charges.
“So why wasn’t assault charged? Why was harassment charged? Why do they feel that that didn’t cause an injury to a police officer, which he clearly, clearly has an injury below his eye?” Hendry said.
One victimized officer, only identified as “PO Johnson,” suffered redness, tenderness and pain to the left side of his face near his eye, but it was difficult to prove “that the injury was obtained directly from the defendant,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Victoria Notaro said in court.
This was, unfortunately, all too predictable, with Prof. Jacobson calling it on Tuesday:
Unfortunately in NYC nothing will happen to them, and if by chance NYPD arrests them, they will be let go to celebrations. https://t.co/r8uN3V5pDM
— William A. Jacobson (@wajacobson) February 24, 2026
All of this comes amid backlash to Mamdani’s repeated downplaying of what happened Monday, predictably minimizing it as merely “kids” having a “snowball fight,” comments he made Tuesday when he was first asked about it and then again on Wednesday, when he doubled down:
New York City Police were HOSPITALIZED after being attacked by Leftists throwing balls of snow and rock.
Mamdani's response?
No charges. Just a "snowball fight"
Pathetic.pic.twitter.com/YRVwZF1Hlv
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 25, 2026
Videos such as the two below, however, tell the real story:
NYC (Feb. 23) — Emboldened rioters hurled snowballs at NYPD officers at Washington Square Park. pic.twitter.com/qd2qAKVSXr
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 24, 2026
After New York received nearly 20 inches of snow, videos showed police officers being pelted with snow after they responded to a large snowball fight.
Four officers were taken to the hospital with facial lacerations, according to the NYPD. https://t.co/qtN8usV75r pic.twitter.com/VCk1SxewmT
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 25, 2026
– Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via X. –
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Comments
Me yesterday:
“ No doubt this prosecution is going to disappear. It probably would in any major city. Unless there was a serious injury or malicious intent I would tend to agree.
What’s different here is the political dynamic. Those of us that warn of having a muslim and/or a socialist in office look at this incident as a sign that our prognostications are coming to pass.”
Now we wait. What will the reaction by the NYPD rank & file be?
My guess? Quiet quitting, or as Ayn Rand wrote, shrugging. If the politicians don’t care, why should I stick my neck out just to be Chauvined into a decades-long prison sentence? Let the ferals feral. I don’t care.
Oh well. Who is John Galt?
Malicious intent was the entire reason behind it.
“Understandably, Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Hendry was perplexed as to why the assault charge was dropped”
Somebody needs to break it to Pat.
“You live in NYC, dude.”
Snake Pliskin? I thought you were dead!
This pattern of lawlessness and violence from the left directed at the police has been going on for a while. Remember the incidents in July 2019 when they threw buckets of water (let’s hope it was water but who knows)? They’re emboldened now to such an extent in these leftist hells that it is Escape from NY, just without the walls.
A 30-06 round between Bragg’s eyes will permanently cure this… 🙂
Bragg is a pestilence.
its a war
why would they want to take one of their brave enough soldiers off the streets!!!??
they dont
live in fear whty
live in fear
What a surprise …. NOT
We’ve become such a pathetic country. Not only are half the population unwilling to protect the people, including themselves, but they are unwilling to protect their public servents.
It’s a servant’s job to protect the master, and the master’s privilege to be armed to protect himself (and his household, including the servants)..
Neither of those conditions hold any l0nger in New York.
A disarmed man is a slave.
Injury is not necessary to charge assault. It is still assault even if he missed.
“In court, prosecutors said that after reviewing the evidence, they were unable to prove that an officer suffered a physical injury caused directly by Coulibaly’s conduct and therefore did not pursue an assault charge.”
Shoot at an officer and miss, no harm, no foul, right?
hope no one throws a packed snowball at mammadamis head
Bring back corporal punishment.
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