Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani urged Mayor Bill de Blasio to apologize to the New York Police Department for "[creating] the impression" that he sided with protesters over law enforcement during recent protests over the deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police officers.
In an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Giuliani condemned police for turning their backs on de Blasio during the funeral for Rafael Ramos, one of two NYPD officers who were shot dead in their squad car by an assailant who had posted on social media about targeting police.
"The mayor is not in any way to be treated with people turning their backs," Giuliani said. "Doesn't matter if you like the mayor or you don't like the mayor. You have to respect the mayor's position. I don't support that. But I do believe Mayor de Blasio should apologize to the New York City Department. I said it day one, and I think he'd get this over with if he did it."
He continued: "Mayor de Blasio, please say you're sorry to them for having created a false impression of them. You did create a false impression of them. Say you're sorry."
Watch the clip above.
Last week, former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said de Blasio had fueled anti-police sentiment by reflecting on how he has instructed his biracial son, Dante, on how to deal with police. The chief of New York's largest police union also sharply criticized de Blasio, accusing the mayor of having "blood on [his] hands."
Giuliani also spoke out last week, criticizing the mayor for "allowing protests to get out of control" and condemning President Barack Obama and black leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton for promoting anti-police "propaganda." The claim about Obama earned him "four Pinocchios" from The Washington Post's Fact Checker.
During Sunday's interview, Giuliani stood by his criticism of the president and Sharpton, but said de Blasio should not be blamed.
"The mayor of the city of New York should not be blamed for the murder of those police officers," he said. "That issue should not have been injected. It's wrong. I told the mayor that yesterday. And I don't support that."
NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton also appeared on "Face the Nation" Sunday, criticizing the police protest at Ramos' funeral as "inappropriate."
"I certainly don't support that action yesterday," he said.
Clarification: This post has been updated to reflect that the Washington Post specifically fact checked Giuliani's statement about President Obama.
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