Social media erupted on Wednesday amid unsubstantiated reports of a full blown walkout within the New York Police Department (NYPD) over the historic election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor. The claim was pushed by several Republican figures, including Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and congressional hopeful Sholdon Daniels.
Stefanik accused Governor Kathy Hochul of embracing what she termed a Defund the Police pro-Hamas Mayor when she congratulated Mamdani on his win. Daniels simply stated, Massive walkout at NYPD. The posts quickly viraled, spurring online outrage and confusion.
Political Spin & Misinformation Spread Quickly
A post on X by Elise Stefanik charged that the new leadership in the city was undermining law enforcement and Hochul Commie Mamdani to her were literally destroying New York.
.@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…
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 5, 2025
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Conservative activists Ryan Fournier and Zeek Arkham fanned the flames, claiming officers were quitting in droves and warned of a deteriorating law and order crisis. Their comments reflected frustration in some quarters but were without verifiable data or comments from official NYPD sources.
No Evidence of Mass Resignation
Contrary to those viral claims, no credible evidence exists of an NYPD wide walkout. The department and police unions have not said a word regarding mass resignations. Major media outlets did not report any such incident and videos circulating online were quickly debunked. The footage in question showed a standard retirement ceremony, not an organized protest or exodus.
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Fact-Checking the Viral Video
So far, fact-checkers including Grok, have made it clear that the shared clip shows a traditional NYPD send-off with officers lining up to salute a retiring colleague a tradition considered to have been followed for decades. There was nothing to indicate it was related to Mamdani’s election. Grok further confirmed there were no official reports of coordinated resignations or disciplinary actions tied to the new mayor’s victory.
What is the Real Story Behind the Rumors
While the claims of a walkout appear baseless, one thing is true New York City’s Jewish fire commissioner, Robert Tucker, quit just hours after Mamdani’s victory. But there is no indication that his departure is related to the viral claims. The episode serves as a lesson in the perils of misinformation and the importance of skepticism and verification where politics, policing and social media intersect.
Disclaimer: This article is based on verified reports and fact-checks. It aims to clarify misinformation circulating on social media.
