Philadelphia Woman Charged With Assaulting Central Park Carriage Drivers

Abigail Holbrook, 27, of Philadelphia was arrested and charged with two counts of assault following a confrontation with horse carriage drivers in Central Park on Tuesday.

According to the NYPD, officers responded to a 911 call shortly after 11 a.m. near West Drive and 59th Street. Investigators learned that two 45-year-old men had been involved in a verbal dispute with Holbrook before the physical altercation broke out.

Investigators said that Holbrook hit one of the individuals in the facial and shoulder area using a skateboard, and delivered a punch to the face of the other man. Both victims sustained minor injuries and declined medical treatment at the scene. Authorities confirmed that Holbrook has no prior arrest history.

Union Officials Demand Increased Park Security

Footage provided by TWU Local 100 and recorded by one of the carriage drivers captures portions of the altercation near the park stands. The incident prompted strong condemnation from labor representatives who called for immediate safety measures.

“This is outrageous and unacceptable,” Alexander Kemp, administrative vice president of TWU Local 100, said. “We need a more visible police presence for our members at horse-carriage stands in the park to protect against these wackos. This is their place of work and people are coming just to harass and attack them. All workers deserve to be safe at work.”

Pointing to statements from animal rights groups, TWU Local 100 shop steward Christina Hansen—who stated she observed the confrontation and phoned the authorities—argued that such messaging has fueled the hostility directed at the carriage horse trade.

“This is what you get when the City Council Speaker praises and poses for photos with extremist organizations like PETA and NYCLASS, whose leaders have lied and vilified us as animal abusers for decades,” Hansen said. “Their followers, who don’t know a thing about horses, have been brainwashed by these groups’ propaganda and emboldened to lash out.”

Police have not released additional details regarding what triggered the initial verbal dispute.

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