In a city known for its grit, the latest battleground for law and order wasn't a bank vault or a back alley—it was a winter wonderland in Greenwich Village. Guzman Kulabali, a 27-year-old Bronx resident and social media personality, found himself in the cold arm of the law this Thursday, arrested after a massive Washington Square Park snowball battle spiraled into what the NYPD is calling a "criminal assault." As New Yorkers dug out from Monday's historic blizzard, a viral debate ignited: was this a case of harmless winter fun, or a felony assault with frozen projectiles?
The Battle of Washington Square Park
It began as a call to arms on social media: "NYC TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND PULL UP." By Monday afternoon, hundreds of New Yorkers had descended upon Washington Square Park, transforming the iconic landmark into a chaotic, joyful frenzy of flying powder. But as the sun set and the snow packed harder, the mood shifted. When NYPD officers arrived to disperse what they termed a "disorderly group," they were met with a barrage of snowballs.
Video footage of the incident went viral instantly, showing officers retreating under a hail of white fire. While many online cheered the scene as a rare moment of communal release, police brass saw something far more sinister. Officers reported being struck by "chunks of ice and rocks" packed inside the snowballs, with two officers treated at a local hospital for facial lacerations and neck pain.
Guzman Kulabali: Prankster or Felon?
Early Thursday morning, detectives from the NYPD Warrant Squad arrested Guzman Kulabali—known to his followers as the prankster "Diaper Man"—at his home in the Highbridge section of the Bronx. Police identified him as one of the ringleaders who targeted officers at close range. Kulabali was initially slapped with a felony charge of NYPD snowball assault charges, a move that stunned legal experts and delighted law-and-order hardliners.
"This was not a few kids getting together for a snowball fight," fumed Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry outside the courtroom. "We saw a 27-year-old adult. This was a grown man launching ice missiles at public servants."
However, in a twist that added fuel to the fire, the Manhattan District Attorney's office downgraded the charges hours later. Prosecutors argued they could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the specific snowball thrown by Kulabali caused the officers' injuries. He now faces misdemeanor counts of obstructing governmental administration and harassment—a decision that has enraged the police union.
A City Divided: Mayor vs. Governor
The arrest has exposed a deepening rift between City Hall and the NYPD. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, facing his first major test with the police department since taking office, publicly downplayed the incident. "I've seen the videos," Mamdani told reporters on Tuesday. "What I saw was a snowball fight that got out of hand. It looked like kids having fun. I don't believe this rises to the level of criminal charges."
His comments drew a sharp rebuke from his own state leadership. Governor Kathy Hochul sided unequivocally with the police, issuing a statement that left little room for interpretation. "Our NYPD officers put themselves on the line every day," Hochul said. "It is never acceptable to throw anything at a police officer, full stop. Whether it's a brick or a ball of ice, it is an assault on our safety."
Viral News and Absurd Crime Stories
As funny local news NYC stories go, this one has captured the global imagination. International outlets are covering the "Snowball Felon," and social media is awash with memes contrasting the heavy-handed police response with the playful nature of the offense. Yet for Kulabali, who was already on police radar for a transit prank gone wrong three weeks prior, the consequences are real.
The incident highlights a peculiar tension in modern New York: the clash between spontaneous urban culture and strict zero-tolerance policing. For now, the "Battle of Washington Square" is over, but the legal and political war is just heating up. As the snow melts, New Yorkers are left wondering if a snowball is ever just a snowball in the eyes of the law.
