Former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s son, Dante de Blasio, found himself in hot water after being among the rowdy anti-ICE protesters who were taken into custody following a chaotic demonstration at a Manhattan Hilton hotel. The protest, which occurred on Tuesday, mistakenly targeted the Hilton Garden Inn in Tribeca, with protesters believing that federal immigration agents were present at the hotel.
Dante, 29, was cited for trespassing and disorderly conduct as police intervened to control the situation. A total of 66 protesters were taken into custody, with only two being issued desk appearance tickets while the rest received summonses. Dante, who is a Yale graduate and previously assisted his father’s presidential campaign in 2019, was issued a summons and later released.
The protest was fueled by recent fatal shootings by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis, leading to renewed demonstrations in various cities. The Hilton hotel was specifically targeted due to the chain cutting ties with a Minnesota franchise that had banned immigration agents after the shootings.
This incident is not the first time Dante de Blasio has made headlines for his activism. In 2019, he wrote an anti-cop op-ed for USA Today, recounting a strange encounter with a police cruiser in San Francisco. There were also reports suggesting that he received free rides from the NYPD to and from Yale University, which his father later clarified was due to security concerns for the first family.
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio has not commented on the recent events involving his son. The protest and subsequent arrests highlight the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and the activism of individuals like Dante de Blasio. The incident serves as a reminder of the complex political landscape and the various perspectives on immigration and law enforcement in the United States.
