Speaking at a press conference, Eric Adams said that even a ten-minute chase “is extremely dangerous in New York City”.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and her mother Doria were involved in “a near-catastrophic car chase” with “highly aggressive paparazzi” on Tuesday night, according to a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex. The incident occurred after the Sussexes had attended an awards ceremony in New York.
The mayor said he expected to be briefed in depth later in the day, but told reporters on Wednesday that two police officers “could have been injured” and that it “would be horrific to lose an innocent bystander during a chase like this”.
He added that the description of the incident provided by Harry and Meghan recalls the circumstances of the 1997 death of the prince’s mother, Princess Diana.
“I don’t think there’s many of us who don’t recall how his mom died. And it would be horrific to lose the innocent bystander during a chase like this and something to have happened to them as well,” Adams said. “So I think we have to be extremely responsible. I thought that was a bit reckless and irresponsible.”
According to the couple’s spokesperson, the incident involved half a dozen cars with blacked-out windows, driving dangerously and putting their lives in danger.
They added that the chase could also have been fatal and involved paparazzi driving on the sidewalk, running red lights, and driving while taking pictures.
In a statement, the New York Police Department (NYPD) confirmed an incident took place and said that numerous photographers “made their [Harry and Meghan’s] transport challenging.” But no injuries or arrests have been reported.