New York School of Law graduates turn their backs on New York City Mayor Eric Adams during the speech
Graduates of the City University of New York School of Law turn their backs on NYC Mayor Eric Adams during opening speech discussing his NYPD career
- New York City Mayor Eric Adams faced protests as he discussed his police career during a college commencement speech
- Adams, 62, spoke at the City University of New York School of Law
- Anger echoed through the hall and dozens of students turned their backs as the mayor delivered his speech
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was booed when he gave a college address after opening up about his NYPD career.
Adams, 62, faced backlash when he spoke Friday at the City University of New York School of Law, where dozens of students turned their backs on him in protest.
Footage posted to social media showed the irate students booing the former cop after he said members of the graduating class would later become a “public figure” like himself.
“Let’s be clear, 22 years of my life I wore a body armor and protected the children and families of this town as a police officer,” Adams added, as the crowd continued to jeer.
“Just like you see these graduates here, I know what it’s like to protest,” he said.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams faced backlash when speaking to City University of New York students
Adams was a police officer for more than two decades before starting his political career, and he used his experience as a top cop during his successful campaign for mayor of New York in 2021.
But his tenure has been rocked by backlash from some Big Apple voters who feel he hasn’t run the city as liberally as they might expect.
Adams argued that he had a long history of taking a public stand on issues.
He cited his involvement in protests following the 1999 murder of Amadou Diallo, a 23-year-old Guinean man who was killed by NYPD officers, and his championing of the advocacy group “100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care.”
“But I’m not the mayor because I know how to protest,” he added.
“I’m the mayor because I know how to speak for the countless people in this city.”
Adams stated, “I know what it’s like to hold the city together.” In response, several members of the crowd yelled, “No, you won’t.”
He said his message to the graduates in attendance “who believe their beliefs are the only beliefs in a diversified city like New York” was to stop being a “detached spectator in the full contact sport of life.”
A video of the speech was posted to Twitter, with the contestant sharing the footage saying that boos were also heard through the room when it was announced that Adams would be speaking.
Dozens of students turned their backs in protest during Mayor Adams’ speech when he brought up his NYPD career
In a statement to DailyMail.com, the mayor’s office said: “Mayor Adams respects the rights of the graduates who protested peacefully today, just as he has protested peacefully countless times during his career.
‘As the mayor always says, this city may have 8.8 million inhabitants, but it also has 35 million opinions. We thank these graduates for entering the law and for their willingness to serve their communities – by helping disadvantaged people, drafting government policies and legislation, or holding public office themselves.
“The mayor looks forward to seeing these graduates serve our city in the future.”
City University of New York has been contacted for comment by DailyMail.com.
Adams has recently come under fire for his actions on a number of issues, including moving migrant camps into New York hotels.
His NYPD service was also jeered by the students as police drew criticism for the delayed arrest of former Marine Daniel Penny for the murder of homeless Jordan Neely.