By: Benyamin Davidsons

New York City Council member Susan Zhuang was charged with allegedly biting a police officer during a protest, which she is now accused of helping to coordinate. As reported by the NY Post, the council member, a Democrat who represents NYC’s 43rd district

including Southern Brooklyn, is facing scrutiny regarding the protest against a homeless shelter in her district. The rally last Sunday, which involved marching from Manhattan to Brooklyn, was organized by a group linked to the Chinese Communist Party.

Zhuang had told The Post that she had “no involvement” with the rally, which drew hundreds of supporters. She is now accused of being a “liar”, as critics point to messages on the Chinese social media app, WeChat. The messages, translated from Mandarin, show the lawmaker advising supporters on “how to act” and “what type of signage” to carry at the rally, the Post reported. “Do not target the Mayor, he has already sat down to talk with us,” she seemingly wrote in response to a picture of one protest sign that read “mayor you need to communicate with us.”

Zhuang faces charges related to the July 17 rally, when she allegedly bit a cop on the arm, penetrating his skin. Charges include a felony count of assault in the second degree, as well as misdemeanor charges of assault, unlawful assembly, obstruction of governmental administration and resisting arrest. She was lauded as a hero at the rally after she violently opposed the construction of a men’s shelter in the Gravesend neighborhood. Zhuang had spoken out last week blaming the episode on the NYPD. “The excessive force by the NYPD was not necessary. I was very disappointed. There’s no room for brutality or mistreatment of citizens by any officer. Police brutality is wrong. The misuse of enforcement is wrong. The act of physical violence against innocent citizens is wrong,” Zhuang said. “Many members of the Asian community have been subject to excessive enforcement and mistreatment by our NYPD. Asian hate in any form must end,” she had added.

Some in the council feel her behavior was less than heroic. One council source called Zhuang a “dangerous liar” after seeing the translated social media messages on WeChat, per the Post. “Susan is a dangerous liar who loves to play victim, she knows exactly what she is doing here,” the source said.

Ying Tan, who ran against Zhuang for the city council seat last year, also spoke out, accusing Zhuang of falsely stating that the NYPD used “unreasonable force against her” during the shelter protest. “It is reckless and irresponsible to spread false information to constituents in an attempt to avoid accountability for her own actions,” Tan wrote on Facebook.

A spokesperson for Zhuang insisted that the lawmaker was “not involved in the logistics for planning this event” despite her advice to protesters on WeChat. “The council member was supporting the NYPD as she always has and was advocating for safety of her community,” the Rep said. “This is yet another attempt by her detractors to divide the AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) community and silence their voice.”

A spokesperson for the council member also responded to her former opponent’s comments. “In this moment we should put our own political agenda aside and focus on lifting Asian voices across the city,” the spokesperson said.