A New York city councilwoman received an unexpected and “creepy” kiss from a stranger during a television interview with CBS in New York.
A video posted to Twitter on Thursday shows Councilwoman Inna Vernikov being interviewed in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, when a man in a hat appears seemingly out of nowhere and plants a kiss on her cheek.
“What my…?” Vernikov said, turning his head to look at the man, who walked away from him with a smile on his face.
Vernikov later shared the video of the assault, calling it a “very creepy moment.”
“Not the kind of love I expect from voters!” wrote Vernikov in Xformerly known as Twitter.
Other councilors came to Vernikov’s defense.
“This disgusting behavior is unfortunately all too common in women’s everyday lives,” tweeted Councilor Marjorie Velázquez. “We cannot allow sexual assault to become a normalized part of our public interactions.”
“This is not funny at all” wrote Councilor Robert Holden. “It’s unbelievable how many jerks are out on the streets!”
According to the New York Police Department, there are no complaints filed in connection with the incident.
Vernikov is a councilwoman for New York’s 48th District, which includes Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach and Sheepshead Bay.
Raised in Brooklyn in a family of Ukrainian immigrants, Vernikov became a small business owner and lawyer.
He took office in 2021.
