New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference Monday that he's "proud" of his daughter for standing up for what she believes in, after she was arrested during protests against police brutality this weekend.
The big picture: De Blasio has had a combative relationship with the New York Police Department, which he defended Saturday after video emerged of some officers driving their cars into a group of protesters. A police union known for its hostility toward de Blasio posted a police report with the name of his 25-year-old daughter and her personal information on Twitter Saturday night, resulting in the account's suspension.
- De Blasio said he and his wife Chirlane McCray did not know their daughter Chiara had been arrested until they saw media reports about it.
- "She was acting peacefully," the mayor said. "She believes that everything she did was in the spirit of peaceful respectful protest.”
What he's saying: “I'm proud of her that she cares so much and she was willing to go out there and do something about it,” the mayor said.
- “I love my daughter deeply, I honor her. She is such a good human being, she only wants to do good in the world, she wants to see a better and a more peaceful world. She believes a lot of change is needed.”
- "This is not someone who would ever commit any violence ... she was very clear, she believes she was following the instructions of police officers and doing what they were asking. I'm going to let her speak for herself."
- "I admire that she was out there trying to change something that she thought was unjust and doing it in a peaceful manner.”
