Kathy Hochul video from NYPD officer’s wake goes viral

Videos of New York Governor Kathy Hochul allegedly being turned away from the wake of a New York Police Department officer have gone viral online.

Clips of Hochul, a Democrat, speaking with an unidentified man outside the wake for Jonathan Diller, who was shot and killed in Queens during a traffic stop on Monday, March 25, have been posted numerous times on social media. One video posted on X, formerly Twitter, by user Benny Johnson has been viewed more than 1.4 million times as of early Saturday morning.

Videos from Friday, March 29, show Hochul arriving at the Massapequa Funeral Home on Long Island in a black SUV as dozens of mourners gather outside to pay their respects to Diller. Hochul can be seen listening to the man as he speaks to her, at times nodding her head. Audio of what was said is not available, but he then turns from the New York governor and walks away.

Following the confrontation with the man, Hochul can be seen walking toward parked vehicles. It is unclear whether she left the vicinity following the conversation. Newsweek has contacted Hochul’s press team via email outside of normal working hours for clarification about the incident.

X users have speculated over the reason for why Hochul was supposedly ejected from the event. Collin Rugg, co-owner of Trending Politics, claimed that another attendee shouted “get her out of here!” as she walked away from the venue.

“Attendees were likely upset over the progressive policies that were responsible for Diller’s death,” Rugg wrote on X.

Guy Rivera, 34, was charged with first degree murder this week. According to The New York Times, Rivera had at least 21 prior arrests. He allegedly shot Diller in Far Rockaway, Queens, after being asked to exit the vehicle he was in, which was illegally parked. Diller later died at Jamaica Hospital on Monday.

Former Republican Representative Lee Zeldin admonished Hochul for attending the wake, writing on X: “If Kathy Hochul wants to honor the Diller family, she should stop trying to honor herself instead. Prioritizing criminals over law-abiding citizens and law enforcement is always the wrong answer. Take a hint, take a walk, and come back when you find a backbone to actually lead!”

On Thursday, Hochul ordered flags on all state buildings to be flown at half-staff in Diller’s honor, saying in a statement: “New Yorkers are in mourning over the loss of Officer Jonathan Diller, a heroic young man who dedicated his life to public safety and serving the people. Our prayers are with his family, his loved ones and his colleagues in the NYPD as they grieve this tragic and senseless loss.”

The wake was attended by family members, fellow police officers and politicians, including New York Mayor Eric Adams and former President Donald Trump. Speaking with reporters outside the venue, Trump said Diller’s death is “such a sad, sad event, such a horrible thing.” He continued: “The police are the greatest people we have. There’s nothing and there’s nobody like them. And this should never happen.”