Diddy received a prestigious honor from his hometown of New York City last year, but now he faces the possibility of becoming the first person to have it revoked. NYC Mayor Eric Adams addressed the issue with PIX11 on Monday, May 19th, following the release of disturbing footage showing Diddy violently attacking his then-girlfriend, Cassie, in 2016.
When asked about the potential revocation of Diddy’s key to New York City, which was awarded during a Times Square ceremony last September, Mayor Adams revealed that the matter is under serious consideration. “I think all of us were deeply disturbed by watching that chilling video of the young lady being assaulted by him,” Adams said. “The committee and the team, we’ve never rescinded a key before, but we are now sitting down to see what the next steps forward are going to be.” Pressed further on the matter, he confirmed, “We are taking everything under analysis and the team will come back [to] me with a final determination.”
The video, obtained by CNN, shows Diddy attacking Cassie in a hotel corridor. The footage captures him running out of his room in a towel, throwing her to the floor, kicking and stomping her, and dragging her back to his room. It also shows him pushing her against a wall and throwing a vase at her. This footage supports Cassie’s claims in her sexual assault lawsuit filed last November, just two months after Diddy received the key to the city. The lawsuit, which included allegations of rape, abuse, and sex trafficking, was settled the following day, though terms were not disclosed.
In response to these allegations, Diddy has denied any wrongdoing, claiming they are attempts to tarnish his reputation and extort money. However, after the footage was made public, he admitted and apologized for his actions. “My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now,” he said in an Instagram video. “I’m so sorry. But I’m committed to be a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m truly sorry.”