YONKERS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — The NAACP is amongst a bunch of organizations demanding an apology from the mayor of Yonkers over a comment he made about Congressman Jamaal Bowman on a radio present.
Two weeks after Bowman was arrested in Washington D.C. for protesting in assist of voting rights, there may be outrage over Mayor Mike Spano quipping about his arrest, CBS2’s Lisa Rozner reported Sunday.
“We’ve acquired a woke squad man that’s in Congress in our district,” WVOX Radio 1460 AM host Phil Reisman mentioned.
“And he acquired arrested once more,” host Matt Richter added.
“Effectively, hear, they need to have arrested him for his vote on the infrastructure invoice, however, you already know, hear I’m very, Phil you already know me, I’m a really hardcore reasonable. I’m very a lot within the center. I believe that there’s … each side all have deserves to their arguments,” Spano mentioned.
The Yonkers and New Rochelle chapters of the NAACP say Spano’s comment went too far.
“To name for the arrest of a congressman, the primary Black one to symbolize us within the sixteenth Congressional District, was intentional and we’re outraged,” mentioned Kisha Skipper, first 5 president of the Yonkers NAACP. “White folks weaponizing the police on this nation is egregious, however when it’s the mayor of the third-largest metropolis within the state and the biggest in Westchester County, it’s deplorable.”
The NAACP is looking for an apology, together with the Black Democrats of Westchester County and the Westchester Black Girls’s Political Caucus, in addition to different teams.
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“On this second of the reckoning, of mass incarceration, and the understanding of unfair focusing on of Black males, uh, it felt like a reckless and irresponsible flip of phrases,” mentioned Sochie Nnaemeka, New York director of the Working Households Occasion.
“Sadly, Mayor Spano is somebody who, as mayor of Yonkers controls the police power, and that is this was simply an outright menace on a Black member of Congress,” added Theo Oshiro of the group Make The Highway NY.
Congressman Bowman declined to remark.
CBS2 requested Mayor Spano for a response and he offered an announcement, saying, “I’ve the best respect for the Yonkers NAACP and take their opinion very critically and can proceed to take action. Congressman Bowman was arrested at protests supporting the voting rights invoice. I want he additionally had the identical ardour for the infrastructure invoice on which he voted no. My feedback had been merely political rhetoric, nothing extra.”
The NAACP advised Rozner it nonetheless desires an apology from the mayor and to have a dialog with him.
Spano is the husband of CBS2 anchor Mary Calvi.
Late Sunday night time, CBS2 acquired an announcement from Tasha Diaz, the bulk chief of the Yonkers City Council, in assist of Spano.
She mentioned, “In all my experiences with Mayor Spano, I can say he stands for inclusion and respect. He’s no racist. Folks can interpret remarks in a different way when politics are concerned, however as a Black councilwoman and a girl of shade, I’ll stand with Mike Spano any day.”
