De Blasio interrupted by protesters at the gym

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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) was confronted by protesters during a gym workout on Friday, according to a video posted by the group CLOSErikers on their Facebook page.

The video shows an activist from the group questioning the mayor about his plan to close Rikers Island, New York City’s troubled main prison.

The protester approaches de Blasio in the video, who appears to be doing yoga in cargo shorts at a public gym. The demonstrator begins his question, but gets cut off the mayor.

“There’s just one thing about this plan that I wanted to —” the man says.

“Can you take your thing out of your ear so you can hear me?” de Blasio says.

{mosads}”There’s one thing about your plan,” the protester says again, before de Blasio interrupts him a second time.

“I’m not here to have a political discussion,” de Blasio says, cutting him off. “I’m in the middle of my gym workout here.”

The two continue to talk over each other, but it is unclear what they said.

“We’ll talk later, we can talk outside, but not here,” de Blasio says. He then returns to his yoga while the man continues to question him about Rikers Island.

“You don’t agree with the court, Mr. Mayor?” the man says, as the de Blasio ignores him. At that point, the video ends as the activist is escorted away by de Blasio’s security guard.

At issue is de Blasio’s plan to close the prison complex in 10 years.

Some activists say that is too long.

Outside the gym, other demonstrators chanted slogans and held signs demanding de Blasio close the prison sooner.

“Exercise leadership! Ten years sucks!” the group chanted. 

Last week, the mayor’s office released a 51-page plan detailing their proposal to close the prison complex in 10 years.

Rikers Island is plagued by federal investigations and allegations of corruption, including accusations in 2015 that the jail hired guards and doctors with gang affiliations. Some of those hired are alleged to have committed crimes including murder and kidnapping.

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