Short explanation

So this is Queens, New York City

In this borough, there is a park called Forest Park next to a neighborhood called Richmond Hill

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Park_(Queens)

Last year, angry drivers signed a petition urging the city to allow them to drive through Forest Park.

Eric Adams, the Mayor, accepted their request:

https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/12/30/danger-ahead-city-to-let-car-drivers-reoccupy-forest-park-next-week

That made some Richmond Hill residents angry.

So local families started demonstrating next to the park. They want the new mayor - Zohran Mamdani - to ban cars from Forest park.

Joann Ariola is a Republican member of New York City council

https://council.nyc.gov/district-32/

She personally wrote a letter to Mayor Eric Adams begging him to allow cars to go through Forest Park:

https://lede-admin.nyc.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/48/2025/11/Ariola-Freedom-Drive-letter-.pdf

During the demonstration, she crossed the park in an SUV and showed up to mock demonstrators.