The man accused of throwing icy snowballs at New York’s Finest told The Post on Friday that he was just part of a crowd “enjoying the moment’’ that day — as he shamelessly promoted his YouTube account and gave a “shoutout” to Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
“It was meant to be fun, that’s all,’’ said suspect Gusmane Coulibaly, a Bronx 27-year-old who goes by “Diaperman’’ while supposedly pulling pranks, recording them and posting them on the platform.
“People of all ages were there just enjoying the moment,’’ said Coulibaly of the incident — which sent two cops to the hospital during the social-media-touted snowball fight Monday that drew hundreds of people to Washington Square Park.
Gusmane Coulibaly, who’s accused of throwing icy snowballs at NYPD during a melee at Washington Square Park, told The Post that he was just part of a crowd “enjoying the moment” that day — as he shamelessly promoted his YouTube account. Gregory P. Mango for NY Post“Fun doesn’t have an age limit. I’m 27, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy life,’’ he wrote during the exchange with The Post on Instagram.
His no “age limit’’ comment was apparently a nod to Mamdani’s now-infamous defense of the snowball-fight participants as just “kids’’ having fun.
“There were people older than me there too. It wasn’t about age — it was about being outside and having a good time,’’ Coulibaly said.
“I came with the mindset that we’d have fun and go home. That’s it,” Coulibaly wrote.
“And film for my channel on YouTube: lifeofdiaper,” he added — getting in the plug for himself, including by offering the day and time he streams.
Follow The Post’s latest coverage of the brazen snowball attack on the NYPD — and Mamdani’s refusal to condemn it
- Police make second bust in cowardly snowball attack on NYPD cops
- Cindy Adams: Here’s how the NYPD brass should have responded to the snowball assault
- Former NY gov rips Mamdani, Bragg for brushing off snowball ‘assault’
- NYPD top cop issues fierce defense of cops — after Mamdani, DA Bragg dismiss snowball attack
Asked whether he was aware cops had been injured, Coulibaly replied, “I’m not going to speak on specific details because the case is still ongoing.
“What I will say is, I never wanted anyone to get hurt. That was never the intention. I came with the mindset of having fun and going home, like everyone else,’’ Coulibaly said.
The suspect had been picked up earlier this month for allegedly harassing and trying to rob a straphanger.
“It was meant to be fun, that’s all,” suspect Gusmane Coulibaly said. Derek French/SOPA Images/ShutterstockIn Monday’s incident, Coulibaly was initially charged with assault on a cop, as well as obstruction of governmental administration and disorderly conduct.
The cop-assault rap was then tossed by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office claimed it did not have enough evidence to support the charge because it couldn’t prove Coulibaly’s actions could be tied to the most seriously hurt officer’s injuries.
Coulibaly was initially charged with assault on a cop, as well as obstruction of governmental administration and disorderly conduct. DCPIThe DA’s office ended up settling on lesser charges of harassment and the government-obstruction rap.
Coulibaly was released from custody to await his next court hearing.
Both Mamdani and Bragg have been blasted as the city’s “Axis of Anarchy’’ over their handling of the troubling incident.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has called the pelting of the cops “criminal’’ and vowed to protect her ranks.
