New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was confronted mid-workout Friday by a protester from an organization seeking to close Rikers Island Jail Complex.
Darren Mack of the "CLOSErikers" advocacy group approached de Blasio mid-yoga pose at a Brooklyn YMCA, according to the New York Post. The mayor was wearing uncommon workout clothing: tan cargo shorts held up by a brown belt and an untucked white tee-shirt.
"I'm not here to have a political discussion," de Blasio told Mack.
"CLOSErikers" uploaded a video of the incident to Facebook.
Mack told the Post that he used a guest pass to get inside the YMCA. He worked out for almost an hour before confronting de Blasio, who was doing yoga.
"He didn't want to answer my questions," Mack said.
De Blasio was confronted by nine protesters from the organization after his 90-minute workout. The protestors were chanting "Close Rikers" and holding up anti-de Blasio signs.
"I've been going there now for three and a half years as mayor. It's the first time that particular type of thing happened," de Blasio told NY1. "You can't disrupt other people in the middle of their private time. That's just obvious."
The campaign to close Rikers was formed in 2016 to advocate shutting down the jail complex that "has been marked by violence and corruption and impervious to substantive reform," according to the group's website.