The Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) said New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner James O’Neill “must go” after a fourth video of police officers being doused with water was released on Thursday.
The police union tweeted the video, which shows individuals throwing water on at least three officers and using water guns to shoot at them.
The tweet’s caption reads:
NYPD has surrendered under O’KNEEL-ANOTHER WATER TOSSING VIDEO. No more MEMO’s- DEFEND YOURSELF before YOU get seriously injured or KILLED. These buckets can contain ACID, BLEACH or other CHEMICALS. Obtain exposure numbers. O’KNEEL MUST GO, take the CLOWNS with you! No CONFIDENCE.
Reports state that similar incidents earlier this week have led to four arrests. The suspects face charges of criminal mischief, harassment, and disorderly conduct, Fox 5 reports.
On Thursday, President Trump tweeted his frustration with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio regarding the videos.
“We love our Law Enforcement Officers all around this great Country. What took place in NYC with water being tossed on NYPD officers was a total disgrace,” he wrote, adding that it was time for the mayor to “STAND UP for those who protect our lives and serve us all so well.”
Breitbart News reported Tuesday that the NYPD had issued a memo which said that officers are eligible to press charges against those who threw water on them.
“[P]olice officers are not expected to tolerate conduct that may cause risk of injury to themselves or the public, interferes with performance of their duties, or tampers with or damages their uniform, equipment or other department property,” the memo said.
The SBA wrote on Twitter Friday that the attacks on police officers have become a “nationwide problem” and asked those who support the police to continue to stand with them.
“To the millions of people who support police YOU CAN NO LONGER STAY SILENT YOU MUST STAND AGAINST ELECTED OFFICIALS & PHONY POLICE CHIEFS who put your communities at risk,” the post said.