Aspiring YouTube Influencer Receives Lenient Penalty for Snowball Incident

An aspiring YouTube personality found himself facing the law after being caught on video hurling snow and ice at police officers in New York City. During a court session on Thursday, he was charged with a relatively minor offense.

Gusmane Coulibaly, aged 27, was arrested Thursday morning. He was accused of attacking NYPD officers on Monday afternoon in the well-known Manhattan location, Washington Square Park.

Initially, Coulibaly faced charges including assaulting a police officer, obstructing governmental administration, and disorderly conduct. This incident had resulted in two officers requiring hospital care, as reported by the New York Post.

However, in a turn of events at the Thursday evening hearing, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office chose not to proceed with the assault charge against Coulibaly.

The remaining charges were reduced to misdemeanor obstruction of governmental administration and second-degree harassment.

Footage from the snowball fight quickly spread showed a crowd pounding freezing snow and ice at officers following the historic blizzard that rocked the East Coast. 

The group was seen shouting and pelting cops with snowballs as they made their way down snow and ice-covered walkways.

Some of the agitators hurled profanities, shouting expletives like ‘f*** you, b***h’ as police tried to push through the crowd.

Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, saw the criminal charges against him greatly reduced after he appeared in court on Thursday

He was arrested earlier in the day for allegedly hurling snow and ice at NYPD officers on Monday afternoon

Two officers had to be taken to an emergency room after being struck in the face, head and neck, the NYPD later announced.

One such officer, who was only identified in court as ‘PO Johnson’ suffered redness, tenderness and pain to the left side of his face near his eye, but Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Victoria Notaro said it was difficult to prove ‘that the injury was obtained directly from the defendant.’

She noted that she and other prosecutors reviewed the available evidence, including videos posted to social media and the officers’ body cameras, before making their decision to downgrade the charges.

Coulibaly did not address the court during the arraignment on Thursday, as his attorney George Vomvolakis accused the NYPD of taking their hatred for Mayor Zohran Mamdani out on the wannabe influencer.

He seemed to lean into the narrative Mamdani painted in the aftermath of the fight, which he said was ‘kids doing snowballs,’ as Vomvolakis repeatedly claimed his client is 22 years old – though he is actually 27, the Post reports.

The lawyer also tried at the hearing to reframe the case as a ‘glorified summons,’ claiming Coulibaly ‘had no idea what the intent was’ when he allegedly threw the snowball at officers. 

Judge Michelle Weber, though, ruled that the YouTuber’s involvement ‘showed a complete lack of judgment.’

Still, she granted Coulibaly supervised release. 

Judge Michelle Weber said Coulibaly’s actions ‘showed a complete lack of judgment’ but granted him supervised release

NYPD cops were thrashed with freezing snow and ice at Washington Square Park. Two of them were left in the hospital with injuries

Mayor Mamdani has earlier said he disagreed with the police department charging Coulibaly.

‘As the mayor has said, police officers deserve to be treated with respect. The videos he saw showed a snowball fight that got out of hand,’ the mayor’s spokesperson, Dora Pekec, told the Daily Mail. 

‘He does not believe this situation rises to the level of criminal charges.’ 

The mayor, though, called for ‘respect’ for officers following the incident and as he faced flack for his remark that it was just ‘kids’ throwing snowballs, Mamdani emphasized on Tuesday that city workers have been essential in keeping New Yorkers safe during this record-breaking winter and deserve respect for their efforts.

‘They have been keeping New Yorkers safe. And they have also been at the heart of our efforts of digging New Yorkers’ cars out of these kinds of conditions and ensuring that our ambulances, our MTA buses, can keep functioning,’ the mayor said.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has downplayed the incident, saying it was ‘kids doing snowballs’ and told the Daily Mail he disagreed with the police department lodging criminal charges against Coulibaly

But while Mamdani has downplayed the ordeal, others have demanded a criminal investigation, with PBA President Patrick Hendry saying the mayor’s response was a ‘complete failure of leadership.’

‘This was not just a “snowball fight.” This was an assault – by adults throwing chunks of ice and rocks – that landed two police officers in the hospital with head and face injuries,’ Hendry told Fox 5 News .

‘By ignoring their injuries and dismissing the incident, the mayor has sent a disgraceful message to every police officer who serves this city,’ he added.

Hendry also warned that the mayor’s reaction could send a dangerous message to anyone thinking about targeting a police officer in the future.

‘Unacceptable and outrageous – this is the environment that NYC police officers are up against. Our police officers are being treated for their injuries, but the case CANNOT end there,’ the union, NYC Police Benevolent Association (PBA) wrote. 

‘All of our city leaders must speak up to condemn this despicable attack,’ they added.

Jessica Tisch, the NYPD Police Commissioner, called the agitators’ behavior ‘disgraceful’ and ‘criminal.’ 

‘The NYPD is aware of certain videos taken earlier today in Washington Square Park showing individuals attacking cops,’ Tisch said right after. 

‘I want to be very clear: The behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal. Our detectives are investigating this matter.’

The NYPD initially released two images of potential suspects but has not announced any further arrests. 

Meanwhile, Coulibaly is due back in court on April 9 to face charges related to the snowball incident.

He is also due in court on March 15 to face unrelated charges of attempted robbery in the transit system, which appear to have been the result of a prank Coulibaly was filming in the subway in which he pretended that strangers owed him money.