Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is under fire after a resurfaced video revealed her criticizing Marine veteran Daniel Penny, calling him a threat to subway riders. Penny, who was acquitted this week in the chokehold death of homeless man Jordan Neely, has been hailed by many as a hero for stepping up to protect subway passengers during a dangerous incident last year.

Penny’s acquittal on charges of criminally negligent homicide has reignited debate over public safety and justice in New York City. The Manhattan jury delivered its not-guilty verdict Monday, affirming Penny’s claim that his actions were in defense of others during a chaotic encounter on a crowded F train.

The controversy intensified when a video of Ocasio-Cortez, filmed last year, went viral on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) following the verdict. In the clip, the congresswoman suggested that Penny’s lack of remorse made him a continued threat to subway riders.

“If we do not want violence on the subways, the point of our justice system is to hold people accountable,” Ocasio-Cortez said in the video. “The fact that a person has expressed no remorse indicates a risk that it may happen again.”

Her comments quickly drew backlash from straphangers and social media users who defended Penny as a protector rather than a menace. “They should rename that the Daniel Penny line. The only safe subway in New York,” quipped one user. Another wrote, “No honest person believes we need fewer people willing to step up and protect women and children on the subway.”

The case stems from a May 2023 incident when Neely, 30, began shouting and threatening passengers on the uptown train. Witnesses testified that Neely, who had a long history of mental health issues and prior arrests, claimed he didn’t care if he went back to jail and was willing to kill. Penny subdued Neely with a chokehold, leading to his death after six minutes. The Marine maintained that his actions were a response to an immediate threat.

Despite the harrowing circumstances, Penny told reporters before the trial that he would act again if faced with a similar situation. “If there was a threat and danger in the present, I would,” he said.

Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks were met with a wave of condemnation. Critics lambasted her for what they see as a misguided focus on demonizing a man who acted to protect innocent commuters. “AOC never fails to surprise me with her utter stupidity!” one person declared on X. Another labeled her “full delusional” for implying the subways would be safer without people like Penny.

The verdict has sparked larger conversations about politicized prosecutions in New York. Some lawmakers accused the Manhattan District Attorney’s office of turning Penny into a scapegoat for the city’s deteriorating public safety conditions.

Meanwhile, Penny celebrated his legal victory with his attorneys, but his defense team noted that the emotional toll of the ordeal would linger. “We savor the victory, but the harm done to him doesn’t just vanish,” said Thomas Kenniff, Penny’s lawyer.

For many New Yorkers, Penny represents what the city desperately needs: ordinary citizens willing to stand up for safety in the face of rising chaos. Ocasio-Cortez’s criticism, on the other hand, has only fueled perceptions that progressive politics are eroding accountability and emboldening lawlessness.