New York City Hall reversed Mayor Bill de Blasio decision to shut down two ice rinks in Central Park before the season ends in April because they are Trump-operated.
“New York City kids deserve all the time on the ice they can get this year. The Wollman and Lasker rinks will stay open under current management for the few weeks left in this season,” City Hall Press Secretary Bill Neidhardt told The New York Post.
Neidhardt added that going forward, the city will “not be doing business with the Trump Organization,” citing the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, which he said “will never be forgotten or forgiven.”
The Trump Organization has been operating the ice rinks in the city for more than three decades.
Hizzoner announced last month he was nixing the city’s contracts with the Trump Organization, alleging then-President Trump had incited a riot at the Capitol. The rinks were both set to be shuttered at close on Sunday.
The stunning policy reversal came after devastated skaters fumed over the weekend that they shouldn’t be kept off the ice due to Hizzoner’s beef with the Trump administration.
“The real people they’re hurting are the 2,500 children that have been benefiting from the skating program this season and 250 innocent employees who have been keeping this going for us,” said Lee Klausner, 49, who was watching her two daughters skate. (NY Post)
Lara Trump blasted De Blasio's plan to shut the rinks, calling it "disgusting."
"Bill de Blasio has such a vendetta against a man that doesn’t even live in his city anymore, lives down in Florida now, that he is willing to take away these people’s jobs, people who have season passes are losing money on this, it’s absolutely disgraceful," she said on Fox News.
"It is the worst kind of Trump derangement syndrome I have ever heard of," she continued. "It’s so terrible for the city of New York and this guy has a lot bigger problems on his hands, he might want to focus on getting that city back open because people are leaving as fast as they can. It is honestly so sad to see."
Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, had also blasted De Blasio but thanked him after the reversal.
“@NYCMayor Mr. Mayor – Thank You for keeping Wollman and Lasker Rinks open — you’ve just made countless NYC families (along w our 250 employees) incredibly happy. This is a bright moment for New York and please know we ap preciate it. I look forward to saying ‘thanks’ in person,” he said on Twitter.
.@NYCMayor Mr. Mayor - Thank You for keeping Wollman and Lasker Rinks open — you’ve just made countless NYC families (along w our 250 employees) incredibly happy. This is a bright moment for New York and please know we appreciate it. I look forward to saying “thanks” in person.
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) February 21, 2021
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