Man dressed as Spider-Man punches NYPD cop in Times Square, authorities say
Junior Bishop, 25, was dressed as Spider-Man when he told a woman who just took his photo that he only accepts $5, $10 or $20 bills. When a cop intervened, Bishop cursed, punched the officer and ran off only to be arrested by other cops in the area.
Junior Bishop, seen here as Cookie Monster, was dressed as Spider-Man when he allegedly punched a cop.
This guy has absolutely no Spidey-sense!
A foul-mouthed Times Square Spider-Man clocked a city cop as he was about to place the not-so-superhero under arrest for bilking tourists, authorities said.
The unmasked web-head — identified by police as 25-year-old Junior Bishop of Brooklyn — is facing assault, resisting arrest, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct charges for the dustup on W. 42nd St. near Broadway.
“From what I saw, it was Spider-Man’s fault,” said one witness, who did not want to be named. “He grabbed the cop, and then I saw him swing and hit him in the face.”
“The cop had to go to the hospital,” the witness said. “Nobody expected that.”
The rookie cop was keeping watch at the Crossroads of the World at 2 p.m. when he spied Spidey taking a picture with a couple in front of an H&Mclothing store.
One of the Times Square Spider-Man (suspect not pictured) costumed characters allegedly assaulted an NYPD officer, Saturday, July 26, 2014.
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
One of the Times Square Spider-Man (suspect not pictured) costumed characters allegedly assaulted an NYPD officer, Saturday, July 26, 2014.
Enlarge
Bradley Gray, 6, of North Carolina poses with Spider-Man (suspect not pictured) in Times Square.
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
Bradley Gray, 6, of North Carolina poses with Spider-Man (suspect not pictured) in Times Square.
Enlarge
The woman attempted to hand Bishop $1 for the picture, but he refused, authorities said, claiming he only took $5, $10 or $20 bills.
Wanting to keep Spider-Man from weaving a tangled web, the cop approached the woman and said the character works for tips and she could give him anything she wanted.
“Mind your own f------ business!” Bishop snapped at the cop, officials said.
The salty Spidey continued to curse at the cop until the officer asked for his identification. When Bishop said he didn’t have it on him, the cop told the costumed creep he was under arrest.
Junior Bishop, dressed as Cookie Monster (left), was previously arrested on weapons charges in April when cops found a knife on him as he aggressively sought tips from tourists.
Enid Alvarez/New York Daily News
Junior Bishop, dressed as Cookie Monster (left), was previously arrested on weapons charges in April when cops found a knife on him as he aggressively sought tips from tourists.
Spidey then snapped into action, wiggling free from the cop's hold and punching him in the head. The super zero then skirted attempts to bring him down, struggling with the cop for several seconds before he was tackled to the ground.
Other officers protecting the popular tourist spot then grabbed Bishop, authorities said. The injured cop suffered a swollen eye and a cut from the wall-crawler’s wallop.
His arraignment was pending early Sunday.
An elderly woman at Bishop’s Crown Heights home slammed the door without commenting on Spider-Man’s predicament.The Times Square performer was arrested on weapons charges in April when cops found a knife on him as he aggressively sought tips from tourists, a police source said.
It was not immediately known if he was dressed as Spider-Man at that time.
He was also arrested in April, 2013, for waving a knife around on a crowded subway, the source said.
Bishop — whose other Times Square alter ego is Cookie Monster — is the third Spider-Man to run afoul of the law in the past two years, officials said.
Moussa Rabaoui of Queens allegedly grabbed a woman’s breasts and buttocks as he put his arm around her on Broadway near W. 42nd St. on June 20. And Philip Williams, 36, was acquitted of hitting a young mother who stiffed him on a tip back in February 2013 but was convicted of harassment.
Other characters have seemed less than warm and fuzzy as well.
NYC PAPERS OUT. Social media use restricted to low res file max 184 x 128 pixels and 72 dpi
Enid Alvarez/New York Daily News
Junior Bishop, dressed as Cookie Monster (right), takes a photo with tourists in Times Square on Nov. 28, 2013.
And a “Toy Story” Woody, whose real name is Jose Vasquez, 44, was arrested after groping a woman in January, cops said.
In addition to numerous complaints that the characters harass people for tips, two people decked out as the Statue of Liberty even tried to deck one another, the Times Square Alliance says.
Saturday’s attack took place nine days after NYPD Police Commissioner Bill Bratton backed a legislative effort to have Times Square performers who pose for pictures and collect tips register with the city.
“The tools we have to work with, which is the law, are very limited,” Bratton said following a closed-door meeting with the Broadway Association.
“At the present time there is no restriction on anybody putting on a costume and standing on Times Square.
With Joseph Stepansky
Junior Bishop, 25, was dressed as Spider-Man when he told a woman who just took his photo that he only accepts $5, $10 or $20 bills. When a cop intervened, Bishop cursed, punched the officer and ran off only to be arrested by other cops in the area.
Junior Bishop, seen here as Cookie Monster, was dressed as Spider-Man when he allegedly punched a cop.
This guy has absolutely no Spidey-sense!
A foul-mouthed Times Square Spider-Man clocked a city cop as he was about to place the not-so-superhero under arrest for bilking tourists, authorities said.
The unmasked web-head — identified by police as 25-year-old Junior Bishop of Brooklyn — is facing assault, resisting arrest, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct charges for the dustup on W. 42nd St. near Broadway.
“From what I saw, it was Spider-Man’s fault,” said one witness, who did not want to be named. “He grabbed the cop, and then I saw him swing and hit him in the face.”
“The cop had to go to the hospital,” the witness said. “Nobody expected that.”
The rookie cop was keeping watch at the Crossroads of the World at 2 p.m. when he spied Spidey taking a picture with a couple in front of an H&Mclothing store.
One of the Times Square Spider-Man (suspect not pictured) costumed characters allegedly assaulted an NYPD officer, Saturday, July 26, 2014.
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
One of the Times Square Spider-Man (suspect not pictured) costumed characters allegedly assaulted an NYPD officer, Saturday, July 26, 2014.
Enlarge
Bradley Gray, 6, of North Carolina poses with Spider-Man (suspect not pictured) in Times Square.
Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
Bradley Gray, 6, of North Carolina poses with Spider-Man (suspect not pictured) in Times Square.
Enlarge
The woman attempted to hand Bishop $1 for the picture, but he refused, authorities said, claiming he only took $5, $10 or $20 bills.
Wanting to keep Spider-Man from weaving a tangled web, the cop approached the woman and said the character works for tips and she could give him anything she wanted.
“Mind your own f------ business!” Bishop snapped at the cop, officials said.
The salty Spidey continued to curse at the cop until the officer asked for his identification. When Bishop said he didn’t have it on him, the cop told the costumed creep he was under arrest.
Junior Bishop, dressed as Cookie Monster (left), was previously arrested on weapons charges in April when cops found a knife on him as he aggressively sought tips from tourists.
Enid Alvarez/New York Daily News
Junior Bishop, dressed as Cookie Monster (left), was previously arrested on weapons charges in April when cops found a knife on him as he aggressively sought tips from tourists.
Spidey then snapped into action, wiggling free from the cop's hold and punching him in the head. The super zero then skirted attempts to bring him down, struggling with the cop for several seconds before he was tackled to the ground.
Other officers protecting the popular tourist spot then grabbed Bishop, authorities said. The injured cop suffered a swollen eye and a cut from the wall-crawler’s wallop.
His arraignment was pending early Sunday.
An elderly woman at Bishop’s Crown Heights home slammed the door without commenting on Spider-Man’s predicament.The Times Square performer was arrested on weapons charges in April when cops found a knife on him as he aggressively sought tips from tourists, a police source said.
It was not immediately known if he was dressed as Spider-Man at that time.
He was also arrested in April, 2013, for waving a knife around on a crowded subway, the source said.
Bishop — whose other Times Square alter ego is Cookie Monster — is the third Spider-Man to run afoul of the law in the past two years, officials said.
Moussa Rabaoui of Queens allegedly grabbed a woman’s breasts and buttocks as he put his arm around her on Broadway near W. 42nd St. on June 20. And Philip Williams, 36, was acquitted of hitting a young mother who stiffed him on a tip back in February 2013 but was convicted of harassment.
Other characters have seemed less than warm and fuzzy as well.
NYC PAPERS OUT. Social media use restricted to low res file max 184 x 128 pixels and 72 dpi
Enid Alvarez/New York Daily News
Junior Bishop, dressed as Cookie Monster (right), takes a photo with tourists in Times Square on Nov. 28, 2013.
And a “Toy Story” Woody, whose real name is Jose Vasquez, 44, was arrested after groping a woman in January, cops said.
In addition to numerous complaints that the characters harass people for tips, two people decked out as the Statue of Liberty even tried to deck one another, the Times Square Alliance says.
Saturday’s attack took place nine days after NYPD Police Commissioner Bill Bratton backed a legislative effort to have Times Square performers who pose for pictures and collect tips register with the city.
“The tools we have to work with, which is the law, are very limited,” Bratton said following a closed-door meeting with the Broadway Association.
“At the present time there is no restriction on anybody putting on a costume and standing on Times Square.
With Joseph Stepansky
