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Manhattan DA drops assault charge in Washington Square Park snowball fight
By
Ben Feuerherd
and
Charles Lane
Published Feb 26, 2026
Modified Feb 26, 2026
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Ryan Murphy/Getty Images
By
Ben Feuerherd
and
Charles Lane
Published Feb 26, 2026
Modified Feb 26, 2026
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Manhattan prosecutors declined to pursue an assault charge against Gusmane Coulibaly on Thursday night, instead charging him with misdemeanor obstructing government administration and a harassment violation in connection with the viral Washington Square Park snowball fight.
Coulibaly, 27, was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday evening and released on supervised release, hours after the NYPD announced his arrest in the case stemming from a massive snowball fight after Monday’s blizzard.
In court, prosecutors said that after reviewing the evidence, they were unable to prove that an officer suffered a physical injury caused directly by Coulibaly’s conduct and therefore did not pursue an assault charge. They said the investigation remains ongoing.
About a dozen uniformed officers sat in the courtroom along with union leadership, including Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry.
Speaking to reporters after the arraignment, Hendry questioned why prosecutors did not pursue an assault charge.
“This was a blatant attack on the uniform that they wear so proudly every day,” he said.
Coulibaly was represented by defense attorney George Vomvolakis, who pushed back on that characterization.
“It didn’t look like an attack to me,” he said, referring to video of the incident.
In court, Vomvolakis argued the case amounted to, at most, a summonsable offense and asked the judge to release his client without bail. Coulibaly was ultimately released on supervised release.
Police had initially said Coulibaly was arrested for allegedly assaulting officers who were struck with snow and ice during the gathering. But prosecutors did not include an assault count in the charging documents.
Prosecutors also noted in court that Coulibaly was arrested earlier this month in Bronx County in a separate case and asked the judge to place him on supervised release.
The snowball fight, promoted on social media, drew a large crowd and a heavy police response. Two officers were treated for minor injuries, including a bruised eye and headache, police said earlier this week.
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public safety
Ben Feuerherd
Ben Feuerherd covers public safety and policing for WNYC and Gothamist. He previously covered federal courts for The New York Post and The Messenger. His work has also appeared in POLITICO, the Daily Beast and NBC New York. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Charles Lane
Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at [email protected], or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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