A large snowball fight in Washington Square Park (Manhattan) after the winter storm escalated into a police incident after snowballs were thrown at NYPD officers. According to police accounts reported by local outlets, officers arrived around 4 p.m. responding to a call about people on a roof inside the park. Soon after, multiple officers were struck by snowballs and suffered facial lacerations, with several taken to the hospital for treatment.
Later that night, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch publicly condemned what was shown in circulating videos, calling the behavior “disgraceful” and “criminal,” and confirming that detectives opened an investigation to identify those involved. Police unions also pushed for arrests and charges, arguing it was not “harmless fun” once officers were targeted.
Video & sources
- Facebook clip : https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FvnbobC3T/
- Example local reporting with the commissioner quote + investigation: CBS New York and ABC7
- Where official updates may appear: NYPD News https://www.nypdnews.com/ and NYC.gov https://www.nyc.gov/
Feb. 23, 2026