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#JusticeforCharlotte trends as Internet recalls when Bill DeBlasio 'killed' groundhog Charlotte

Charlotte, the 10-month-old roundhog succumbed to the fatal injuries she suffered when Bill de Blasio accidentally dropped her to the ground

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: The internet recalled Bill de Blasio's shocking incident of accidentally dropping a groundhog that died within a week. Marking his first Groundhog Day celebration since being elected at the time, the former mayor of New York attended the festivities held back in 2014 at the Staten Island Zoo.

During the proceeding, the then mayor accidentally dropped the zoo's beloved groundhog Charlotte. After the female groundhog fell to the ground, it managed to crawl up his arm. However, the 10-month-old Charlotte died a week after the incident due to "internal injuries." Though the exact reason behind those injuries was never determined, officials at the Staten Island Zoo stated that the mayor did not kill Charlotte, The Sun reported.

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How did Bill de Blasio respond?

Following the death of Charlotte at the zoo, Bill de Blasio laughed at the incident. However, he vowed that he would never return to the Groundhog Day ceremony again. “I tried it, it didn’t end well, I won’t be back," he told the New York Daily News and sarcastically remarked that the incident was the year's "highlight."

Contradicting his statement, the mayor made his return to the zoo for the ceremony in 2015. However, at the time, the zoo then made changes to the festivities as the groundhog was enclosed in a case and kept safely distant from the public. The mayor, who committed the brutal act, never took part in the Staten Island Day tradition after that year. However, he insisted that not returning to the zoo was not due to a "scheduling conflict."

'Her unfortunate encounter with Bill de Blasio'

Remembering the unfortunate incident from nine years ago, social media recalled the untimely tragic death of Charlotte and de Blasio's act that allegedly led to its fatal injuries. One Twitter user wrote, "#JusticeForCharlotte it’s been 8 years since Bill de Blasio murdered Charlotte, the hedgehog standing in for Staten Island chuck that fateful day in 2014. Plain and simple this man squeezed that animal and choke slammed her to the ground. She died days later due to injury."

"She didn’t deserve this!," a user opined while another wrote, "I don't like that smirk he had when he 'dropped' her," and someone tweeted, "Look at this s***. Genuine fear/concern from the handlers. Genuine JOY from Bill de Blasio."

"The guy who tried to bribe humans to take an experimental vaccine with french fries also killed a hedgehog on live TV?," a user wrote and another remarked, "This dude is smiling while he does it." One user recalled the incident and tweeted, "Ah, it's the 9-year anniversary of Bill de Blasio dropping that groundhog which then died," while someone wrote, "This is what I get for reminding you all about poor Charlotte the hedgehog and her unfortunate encounter with Bill de Blasio."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online