‘This Is Unbelievable’: Viral Video Sparks Claims NYPD Framed Black Influencer Over Alleged Snowball ‘Attack’ – and Critics Say the Mayor May Be Involved

A snowball fight in New York City is at the center of a controversial Feb. 26 arrest of a young Black man who police said pelted them with snow and chunks of ice, causing injuries. But a series of viral videos is casting doubt.

A woman who goes by Stella Magz on social media claims the NYPD blatantly lied to frame YouTube prankster Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, to “send a message” to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The mayor dismissed the incident as “kids” having a snowball fight that simply “got out of hand.” According to Stella — and many commenters online — his words ruffled the NYPD, and now “they’re trying to ruin someone’s life” by making an example of Coulibaly.

Coulibaly appeared in court on the day of his arrest, but prosecutors were unable to prove that he caused physical injury to an officer. Manhattan’s District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office dropped the felony assault charge. He still faces a misdemeanor charge of obstructing government administration and a harassment violation.

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When Coulibaly’s attorney, George Vomvolakis, was asked by reporters outside the courtroom if the arrest had been politicized, he said, “I think it’s obvious to most New Yorkers. I think the police have an issue with the mayor of our city, and they’re taking it out on Mr. Coulibaly.”

It all started on Feb. 23, in the aftermath of a historic blizzard that blasted the Northeast, dumping some 20 inches of snow. A large group gathered in Manhattan’s Washington Square Park to romp around in the white stuff. Stella saw a clip of their antics on ESPN that showed the group knocking down a snowman and engaging in some snowy fun. In that ESPN footage, a smiling Coulibaly is clearly visible holding a small boulder-sized chunk of ice. Noticeably missing from the scene: police officers.

The NYPD released a screenshot of Coulibaly from that very same scene, identifying him as a suspect in an alleged “snow-throwing assault” that left two officers injured. Fox 5 NY broadcast the screenshot to its 2 million viewers, with the Crime Stoppers number displayed right above Coulibaly’s face.

“I didn’t see any cops anywhere. Did you?” Stella asked on her TikTok. “I saw a bunch of kids having fun. That’s all I saw happening. That’s why you guys get pegged with f*cking snowballs, because you do sh*t like this. This is unbelievable.”

Footage obtained by local news outlets — and viewed by Mayor Mamdani — showed NYPD officers walking into the middle of the melee, and taking the brunt of several snowballs. When asked about the incident, Mamdani said, “From the videos I’ve seen, it looks like a snowball fight,” adding that the people involved should not face criminal charges.

Despite the Mayor’s statement encouraging restraint, on Feb. 26, Coulibaly was detained and charged with felony assault on a police officer.

According to Stella, his background made him an easy scapegoat for the police.

With some 300,000 followers on his “Life of a Diaper” YouTube channel, where he shares recorded pranks and manufactured confrontations, the Bronx-based influencer is easily identifiable. He was also arrested on Feb. 6 for attempted robbery, but his supporters claim the arrest stemmed from one of his online pranks.

“When the NYPD wants to paint the narrative, they paint it very well,” Stella said in a follow-up TikTok video. “They are the da Vinci’s of painting narratives. ’Cause if they’re that good that they could spot this kid out, remember what he looked like out of a crowd of hundreds of people while being pelted with f*cking snowballs, they need to go to work for the FBI.”

That day, several snowball-wielding people hit the police officers, who were treated at a local hospital for bruises, facial cuts, and complaints of head and neck pain. According to news reports, all of the officers are expected to be OK, and the police are now actively seeking three additional suspects.

“This arrest sends a clear message that assaults on police officers cannot and will not be minimized or tolerated,” Police Benevolent Association President Pat Hendry said. “There is more work to be done to hold accountable all who participated in this shameful attack.”

But Coulibaly’s attorney said he watched the available videos of the incident and didn’t see his client throw a snowball. When he spoke with reporters outside of court, Vomvolakis also addressed a few rumors: “There’s no information that there were rocks, that these were ice snowballs… Thankfully, D.A. Bragg and his assistant were able to see through the politicization of this.”

“If they want to pick a fight with the Mayor, I don’t think this is the way they should be doing it.”