Fact Check: Did the NYPD stage a massive walkout after Zohran Mamdani’s election?
WASHINGTON, DC: Social media buzzed on Wednesday, November 5, with claims that the New York Police Department staged a full-scale walkout a day after Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City.
Several Republican figures, including Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and congressional candidate Sheldon Daniels, amplified the claim. Here’s what is known about the rumor and the reality behind it.
Claim: NYPD staged a massive walkout after Zohran Mamdani’s election
Elise Stefanik accused Governor Kathy Hochul of supporting what she described as a “Defund the Police, pro-Hamas” mayor when Hochul congratulated Zohran Mamdani on his victory. Sheldon Daniels added, “Massive walkout at NYPD.”
The posts quickly went viral, fueling online outrage and confusion. On X, Stefanik claimed that the city’s new leadership was undermining law enforcement, writing that Hochul and Mamdani were “literally destroying New York.”
Stefanik posted, “@KathyHochul ’s catastrophic endorsement of the Defund the Police pro-Hamas Mayor has caused a MASSIVE walkout out of NYPD officers. Kathy Hochul and her endorsed Commie Mamdani are literally destroying New York. God Bless our hardworking NYPD officers. New Yorkers Back the Blue while Hochul backs the Defund the Police Mayor! A disgrace.”
Conservative activists Ryan Fournier and Zeek Arkham further amplified the claims, warning that officers were quitting in large numbers and predicting a worsening law-and-order crisis. Despite these posts reflecting frustration among some groups, there is no verified data or official NYPD statement supporting the claims.
Fact Check: NYPD declares viral claim false
Daniels shared a post claiming NYPD officers were staging a walkout in New York City, but provided no evidence or sources. A spokesperson for the NYPD told Lead Stories via email on November 5, 2025, “There is no walkout.”
If a massive NYPD walkout had occurred, it would have made major news. Searches on Google News and Yahoo News returned no credible reports of any walkout the day after the mayoral election.
An image circulating on social media, posted by X.com/BeenewsdailyB, suggested it showed officers walking out on November 5, 2025. However, a reverse image search revealed the photo was from June 9, 2025, originally published in the New York Daily News in a story about City Hall discussing probation officers policing ICE protests.
Although the walkout claims were false, one fact remains true: New York City’s Jewish fire commissioner, Robert Tucker, resigned just hours after Mamdani’s victory. There is no evidence linking his resignation to the viral posts.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online
