STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) was called out by likely Republican congressional challenger for taking part in a peaceful protest on Staten Island Friday night.
Rose with his wife, Leigh, and infant son Miles, took part in one of the biggest demonstrations on Staten Island, which went from Concord down Hylan Boulevard and stopped at the 122nd Precinct in New Dorp.
The NYPD rode ahead and alongside the marchers to shut down traffic along the route and remained peaceful with the hundreds of protestors.
Activists chanted “no justice, no peace, no racist police" and “hands up, don’t shoot” as they made their way along the route.
They chanted the names of Floyd, Eric Garner, Ernest Sayon and Breonna Taylor, black men and a woman who died in police custody.
Rose posted a photo to his Instagram account with the caption, “Staten Island’s youth are leading an incredibly powerful, peaceful movement for justice in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so may Black lives that have been lost due to senseless acts of violence.”
“Leigh, Miles and I were proud to march with them today,” it said.
Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) criticized Rose’s participation in the march, The Post reported.
“Congressman Max Rose taking part in demonstration where marchers chanted ‘Defund the Police’ and carried signs saying ‘Blue Lives Murder’ is a disgrace,” Malliotakis said according to the report.
Malliotakis said his actions prove he’s “just another liberal who will say or do anything to get elected,” citing his backing of the closure of Rikers Island and bail reform.
In response Rose said, “The country is in pain, so young Staten Islanders worked with the NYPD to organize a peaceful protest and Nicole’s take away is to attack the kids?
“Just this week she praised these marches as ‘setting an example for the nation’ until I walked with young people in our borough,” he said.
“Nicole is a fraud and if she thinks people don’t see that, she’s more delusional than Bill de Blasio.”