Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer experienced an unexpected and hostile confrontation on Sunday during his participation in the Dominican Day Parade in New York City. The senator was caught off guard when a passerby, initially appearing friendly, approached him for a video. Schumer smiled, assuming the man was a supporter, but his expression quickly changed as the encounter took a negative turn.
“You know Dominicans actually hate your guts, right, because you’re a scumbag,” the man, who goes by the name DVS 7.0 on X, said to Schumer. As the senator began to walk away, DVS 7.0 continued, shouting, “You’re a loser.” The interaction was captured on video and has since gone viral on social media.
DVS 7.0, whose X bio describes him as a “Rapper/Spoken Word Poet/Christian Conservative Latino Activist,” added in his profile that “Christians have nothing in common with Democrats.” The video of his exchange with Schumer was widely shared, with one post by conservative influencer Dom Lucre amassing over 950,000 views by Monday afternoon.
The parade itself saw other instances of political expression, with another video showing attendees waving Trump 2024 campaign signs. The event, which was meant to celebrate Dominican culture, took a darker turn when police had to intervene following an assault. According to reports from the New York Post, a teenager attacked a 65-year-old man, leaving him with a facial injury. The situation quickly escalated, leading to chaos as the crowd became unruly, with barricades being knocked down and floats held in place. At least one person was arrested during the incident, prompting police to shut down the parade early.
“We’re shutting it down — at this point, it’s gotten out of hand,” a police source told the Post.
Schumer’s confrontation with DVS 7.0, while brief, highlighted the growing tensions and divisiveness present at public events, especially those involving high-profile political figures. The parade, which should have been a peaceful celebration, instead underscored the charged atmosphere of contemporary American politics.