One of New York City's most high-profile campaigners for defunding the police lives in an Army barracks protected by tanks and soldiers, it has emerged.
Jumaane Williams, who is running for governor of New York, was accused of hypocrisy on Sunday when New Yorkers blighted by rising crime and soaring gun violence learnt that he is living in a fortress.
'He gets to protect himself, and yet we can't?' asked Joseph Rolland, 53, who lives close to Williams' base in Brooklyn.
He told The New York Post: 'I'm not upset that he gets to protect himself on a military base as long as the citizens of the city can also protect themselves, whether it's through private security or our police department, which we pay taxes for.'
Williams, 45, is currently the New York City Public Advocate - an elected position, which means he oversees city agencies, investigates complaints about services and makes suggestions for improvements.
Jumaane Williams, 45, is currently running to be elected governor of New York, with a Democrat primary scheduled for June. He is a vocal supporter of the movement to defund the police - yet lives surrounded by military security
Williams is seen on June 2, responding to a wave of anti-Asian attacks
The Brooklyn-born politician lives on Fort Hamilton, an Army base in Brooklyn
He has long been a vocal supporter of the movement to defund the police, and in June 2020, during the George Floyd protests, he led marches to Brooklyn Borough Hall to demand the cuts.
Williams wanted cuts to the NYPD budget to fund youth and community development as well as social and children's services, and said that the $1 billion cut agreed in July 2020 was insufficient.
He also threatened to refuse to sign a warrant authorizing the collection of real estate taxes, which underpin the city's budget.
He said he would not sign that warrant unless the city eliminated the next class of police officers.
'If we have a hiring freeze for every single city agency, that should include the NYPD,' Williams said at the time.
He did not follow up on his threat.
A spokesman for Williams said that his living on an Army base did not contradict
