While President Trump was welcome at the wake of Officer Jonathan Diller, murdered by a 21-time arrested career criminal in New York’s Queens neighborhood, the city’s soft-on-crime politicians were not. Nor was New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who was reportedly told by an angry mourner to leave the wake when she arrived, and when she departed it was to the applause of the mourning crowd.
As background, Officer Diller was murdered during a traffic stop in Queens, shot just below his bulletproof vest and dying of the wound in the city’s Jamaica Hospital. His wake was held on Thursday and Friday, with his funeral scheduled for Saturday. Soft-on-crime members of the city council were told to stay away from his wake, and President Joe Biden attended a fundraiser instead of the wake. Former President Trump showed up and gave a speech on law and order.
Gov. Hochul arrived at the wake on Friday afternoon for a short visit, but when there was confronted by an emotional mourner. Footage of the incident shows the mourner, a man wearing a black suit, later identified as a family member of Officer Dillers, being visibly agitated and berating her while ensuring firmly. The man appeared to be receiving support from the throng of onlookers.
Gov. Hochul evidently chose to depart the event without turning the incident into something bigger, and as she did so the crowd showed its support for the emotional mourner’s method of getting her to leave, applauding him as she ignominiously retreated. Gov. Hochul maintained a blank face as she shuffled back to her waiting vehicle.
Reports on the incident conflicted somewhat. One witness told the New York Post that Gov. Hochul had a short and respectful conversation with the victim’s family, and even claimed that she was not asked to leave. “It was a brief respectful visit. She was not asked to leave,” that source said.
A different source, however, told the NYP that Officer Diller’s widow was telling off Gov. Hochul in animated, angry fashion. “It didn’t look like the widow had a kind word to say,” that source said. That source added that Gov. Hochul departed shortly afterward. A source also told the Post that the animated family member said, “We don’t want you here. You’re not wanted here. You have blood on your hands. If you want to do something, change the bail laws.”
Watch the video of the altercation here:
Sergeants Benevolent Association President Vincent J. Vallelong, commenting to the NYP on having told the city’s soft-on-crime city council members to not dare show their faces at the event, said, “Adrienne Adams, Jumaane Williams and their cohorts should stay home.” He added, “They detest cops and have no appreciation for what they do. They should stay home and not pretend they are grieving. They have caused enough heartbreak and destruction.” He then added that their presence “is a stain on the legacy of a true hero who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Former President Donald Trump, commenting to the NYP on his conversation with Officer Diller’s widow, said, “I said something has to come out of it, and the only thing that you could really think that could come out of it is we get stronger and tougher so this doesn’t keep happening,”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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