New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is blasting the police officers who turned their backs on him in protest during a police funeral, calling them "disrespectful."
Speaking at a press conference Monday, de Blasio said the protests, which occurred at the funerals of slain police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, were not appropriate in a funeral setting.
"They were disrespectful to the families involved," said de Blasio, according to the
New York Daily News. "I can't understand why anyone would do such a thing in the context like that, and I think it defies a lot of what we all feel is the right and decent thing to do.
"I also think they were disrespectful to the people of this city, who in fact honor the work of the NYPD."
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton also spoke Monday and condemned the officers' actions.
"They embarrassed themselves," Bratton said.
Officers Ramos and Liu were shot and killed as they sat in their patrol car on Dec. 20. The alleged shooter was suspected of shooting his girlfriend earlier that day in Baltimore before traveling to New York City. His social media posts showed he was out to get revenge for the death of Eric Garner, who died in July after a struggle with police. The officers involved were not charged in the incident.
De Blasio has been critical of the NYPD and even urged his
son, who is biracial, to be careful around the police. His actions have turned many of the city's officers against him.
Bratton had asked his officers not to turn their backs on the mayor at
Liu's funeral after they did so when
Ramos was laid to rest, but many
defied that order.
Monday's press conference was called to announce a 4.6 percent drop in New York City crime during 2014.
Recent reports, however, show that NYPD officers have slowed down their rate of issuing tickets and making arrests in the wake of the execution-style shooting of Ramos and Liu.
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