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Protesters interrupted New York City Mayor Eric Adams by storming the stage as he was giving a speech on Tuesday morning, accusing him of taking money “from the rich” and serving the interests of lobbyists.
While Adams was giving a speech about the accomplishments the city has made under his administration at an event held by the Association for a Better New York, a group of protesters stormed the stage.
The protesters were seen in video footage getting escorted off the stage and out of the room as they could be heard yelling, “How much money do you take from the rich?” and, “What do we need? A new mayor!”
.@NYCMayor @ABetterNY speech is interrupted by protesters saying he failed working class New Yorkers: “We need a new mayor!” pic.twitter.com/RAT3lf18wS
— Jeff Mays (@JeffCMays) April 16, 2024
Planet Over Profit, a youth-led group that advocates for climate justice, claimed responsibility for the protest in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“This was us. Landlord Adams is torching our city so he can keep eating out of real estate lobby’s hands,” the group wrote. “He gutted the city’s Green New Deal, Local Law 97, so the rich can get richer. Enough is enough. Let’s get us a better mayor.”
This was us. Landlord Adams is torching our city so he can keep eating out of real estate lobby’s hands. He gutted the city’s Green New Deal, Local Law 97, so the rich can get richer. Enough is enough. Let’s get us a better mayor.
— Planet Over Profit (@pop4climate) April 16, 2024
Four people were taken into custody, New York City Police Department officials told the New York Times.
Local Law 97, otherwise known as New York City’s Green New Deal, became effective in November 2019. Under the law, starting in 2024, limits will be placed on how much greenhouse gases covered buildings can produce in order to help the city reach a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
While speaking at a press conference later in the day, Adams said he saw the protesters with their banner storm the stage but that he had remained calm.
“No banner is going to scare me,” Adams said regarding the incident.
This comes as Adams has faced criticism regarding his handling of the city’s ongoing migrant crisis and low approval ratings.
A poll from Quinnipiac University in December 2023, found that 28 percent of registered voters approved of Adams’ job as mayor, while 58 percent disapproved.
