Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Disturbed Naked Man Apprehended Outside Polling Station


By

John Del Signore

Published Nov 3, 2009

Modified Nov 3, 2009


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

John Del Signore

Published Nov 3, 2009

Modified Nov 3, 2009


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

This tweet from Laura Holder just caught our eye: "Seen at polling station (e.g. grade school): 1 man, over-6-foot tall, towering, 100% naked. Number of police: 12. Number of police cars: 4." The Local also heard about the naked man, and a volunteer for Bill Thompson says he saw the unidentified man near PS 56 in Clinton Hill, which was closed for Election Day. The volunteer says the man approached "talking all kinds of crazy stuff — he said he was a direct pure-blood descendant of Jesus." (Sounds like a Rev. Billy voter?)

Several witnesses said that before he got naked, he beat a woman and chased her from a parked car, but police say no assault occurred. Another campaign worker tells The Local, "We tried to tell him to get his thoughts together. I told him put your clothes back on, or they’re gonna take you down to Bellevue." Which is essentially what happened when police arrived and handcuffed him as he threatened to kill them and "bragged of drug-dealing exploits." The man was not arrested, but taken to Long Island College Hospital for treatment.

Tagged

arrest

brooklyn

clinton hill

crazy

election

naked man

polling center

voting


John Del Signore

Twitter

Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Queens mother charged with murder in death of 5-year-old daughter, NYPD says

Francis Cabello, 32, was arrested and charged on Thursday.

By

Ryan Kost

Published Oct 16, 2026 at 11:57 a.m. ET


NYC’s whiplash weather continues into weekend with heavy winds, chilly temps, NWS says

Friday expect scattered showers and thunder, cooler temperatures Saturday, and a sunny Sunday.

By

Monica Melton

News

NYC’s whiplash weather continues into weekend with heavy winds, chilly temps, NWS says

Friday expect scattered showers and thunder, cooler temperatures Saturday, and a sunny Sunday.

By

Monica Melton


Early Addition: Winning an affordable housing lottery is great unless it's not

By

James Ramsay

Mamdani and 100+ NY officials urge parking lot owners to ban ICE

By

Arya Sundaram

NYC ambulance response times have grown 41% as life-threatening calls rise

By

Ben Feuerherd


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .