New York City Mayor Eric Adams apologised on Saturday after a video resurfaced of him making controversial remarks about his white colleagues in the police force in 2019, and where he reportedly was announcing his plans for mayor.
The video, leaked shortly after attending the funerals for NYPD Officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora, who was shot dead in East Harlem, shows him speaking in front of an audience.
"Every day in the police department, I kicked those crackers' a**", he said at the time. "Man, I was unbelievable in the police department with 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement".
At a press conference, the mayor apologised for the inappropriate comments, saying those words "should not have been used".
"Someone asked me a question using that comment and playing on that word. I responded in that comment, but clearly, these comments should not have been used, and I apologise not only to those who heard it, but to New Yorkers because they should expect more from me. That was inappropriate".
The video was posted on Tuesday by Thomas Lopez-Pierre, the founder of BLM Real Estate Forum. He voted for Adams and supported his campaign, but has harshly opposed his recently announced anti-crime plan.