Thousands of NYPD cops turned their backs on Mayor de Blasio on Sunday outside a Brooklyn funeral home as he eulogized a murdered NYPD officer inside.
As de Blasio addressed the loved ones of Detective Wenjian Liu in the Aievoli Funeral Home in Bensonhurst, the sea of blue watching the funeral on huge TV screens outside showed their disgust for Hizzoner by turning around as he spoke.
Cops have been furious with de Blasio mainly since the grand-jury rulings involving the deaths of Staten Island dad Eric Garner and Missouri teen Michael Brown, two unarmed black men who died during confrontations with white cops. Neither cop was criminally charged.
The mayor said afterward that he worries about how his son, Dante, who is half-black, might be treated by police because of his race.
The cops say de Blasio’s comment is just another instance in which he has added to the anti-cop sentiment in the city.
Liu and Officer Rafael Ramos were sitting in their patrol car in Bedford-Stuyvesant on Dec. 20 when deranged, cop-hating killer Ismaaiyl Brinsley came up from behind to execute them. Brinsley committed suicide before cops could catch him.
Officers first turned their backs to de Blasio when he visited the hospital where Ramos and Liu were treated. They then also turned their backs to him outside the church where Ramos’ funeral was held Dec. 27.
NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton asked officers not to repeat that silent protest at Liu’s funeral Sunday.
Cops from across the country joined the ceremony honoring Liu.
“All of our city is heart-broken today,” de Blasio told mourners. “All of this city is feeling the pain, and all of the city wants to lift up the Liu family and the Ramos family.”
Liu’s loved ones, many who traveled here from China, arrived for the service in a procession of eight black vans and two limos.
“Detective Wenjian Liu was a good man. He walked a path of courage, a path of sacrifice, a path of kindness,” de Blasio said. “This is who he was.”
US Rep. Peter King (R-Long Island) said as he arrived for Liu’s funeral, “I’ve been critical of the mayor, [but] today is not the day for that [protest]. I understand why the police did what they did [at Ramos’s service]. I think the police have made their point. [But] that should be behind us now. I wouldn’t do it myself.”
Two plainclothes cops, outside the funeral home, made no apologies for their back-turning protest.
“He [de Blasio] turned his back on us,” one officer said.
“I can’t stand even looking at him,” the other cop said. “He has no friends here.”
Liu is believed to be the first Chinese- American New York cop killed in the line of duty.
In addition to Sunday’s service, Liu’s loved ones were expected to hold private ceremonies with Buddhist and Chinese funeral traditions.
“To me, he is my soul mate,” Liu’s grieving widow, Pei Xia Chen, told mourners. “Wenjian is an incredible husband, son, co-worker and friend – my best friend. ”
Chen said policing was a passion of Liu’s.
“As the only son, the No. 1 son, he was extremely close [to] and respected his parents , of course,” she said. “One of this many passion was being a police officer. He took pride in the fact that he was NYPD.”
Chen was in tears throughout her address.
She finished by saying, “I thank you, my extended family, my family of blue.”
Liu will be buried at Cypress Hills Cemetery.
The 32-year-old had been on the job for seven years. Liu emigrated from China 20 years ago and dreamed of being a police officer.
Liu had only been married for two months when he was killed.
Additional reporting by Priscilla DeGregory, CJ Sullivan, Frank Rosario and David K. Li
