Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Five in Bay Ridge Brawl Say Cops Should Be Arrested
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Apr 12, 2010
Modified Apr 12, 2010
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
Jaya Saxena
Published Apr 12, 2010
Modified Apr 12, 2010
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
The five men charged with breaking a Port Authority officer's jaw and slashing a firefighter's arm in a bar fight say the injured cops are the ones who should be arrested. According to the accused, which includes state senator Martin Golden's nephew Danny Golden, an off-duty NYPD officer started the fight, and when the five men were kicked out of the bar the cops chased them down the street. Lawyer Arthur Aidala told the Daily News, "The feeling of all five of them is why are they the ones who are in trouble since they didn't even start the fight to begin with? They were defending themselves."
Police officials insist that the only people assaulted in Saturday's bar fight were off-duty cop Paul Aparo, Firefighter Rosario Cicero and Port Authority Officer Ryan McCarthy. Cicero's father said, "He tried to break up a fight and they beat the s--t out of him." Cicero was knifed in the arm outside the bar, cutting his artery and causing him to lose over a pint of blood. However, he told the Post, "I was just helping out a friend. I'd do the same thing again."
The fight allegedly started inside the bar between Aparo and Staten Islander John DeCarlo, and escalated when DeCarlo smashed a bottle over Aparo's head. Cicero and McCarthy then heard Aparo yell "I'm a cop!" and came to his aid. Though the cops claim they followed the men outside to get the license plate number of the car they were trying to escape in, a lawyer for three of the men arrested said, "This fight was over inside the bar - it was broken up. [The cops] pushed their way out and came chasing after our guys."
Tagged
bar brawl
bay ridge
danny golden
kettle black bar
Martin Golden
nypd
port authority officer
Jaya Saxena
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
Prosecutors say the 22-year-old damaged property outside the Fresh Meadows shop twice in May.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 6:07 p.m. ET
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."
By
Stephen Nessen
News
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."
By
Stephen Nessen
High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial
By
David Brand
Mamdani launches new team to help NYers keep SNAP, Medicaid benefits
By
Caroline Lewis
Riders at 53rd St. station where man was fatally shot say they worry about gun violence
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
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 .