Viral claims on social media on Wednesday alleged that there was a massive walkout by New York Police Department (NYPD) officers after Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City. However, there is no evidence to support these claims.
The rumours began after several Republican figures, including Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and congressional hopeful Sholdon Daniels, claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that thousands of NYPD officers had walked off duty.
Stefanik wrote, “@KathyHochul’s catastrophic endorsement of the Defund the Police pro-Hamas Mayor has caused a MASSIVE walkout out of NYPD officers.” She further said, “Kathy Hochul and her endorsed Commie Mamdani are literally destroying New York.” She ended her post with, “God Bless our hardworking NYPD officers. New Yorkers Back the Blue while Hochul backs the Defund the Police Mayor! A disgrace.”
Daniels also posted, “Massive walkout at NYPD,” without providing any evidence. Conservative activist Ryan Fournier and former officer Zeek Arkham amplified similar claims. Fournier alleged that “most rank and file officers” were preparing to retire or transfer, claiming “New York City is cooked.” Arkham echoed the sentiment, saying that many officers he spoke to planned to leave because the new mayor “hates them.”
However, fact-checks and media reports have confirmed that these claims are false. There has been no statement from the NYPD, no confirmation from police unions, and no credible news reports verifying a mass resignation.
Fact-check platform Grok clarified that the viral video cited in these claims actually showed a routine retirement ceremony, a common NYPD tradition where officers line up to salute a departing colleague. The video had no connection to Mamdani’s election.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
