NYC public defender who tore down Israeli hostage posters resigns

The New York County public defender who was captured on video tearing down “KIDNAPPED” posters of Israeli hostages has resigned from her position, according to a representative for the New York County Defender Services (NYCDS).

Victoria Ruiz, 36, resigned her position from the NYCDS on Tuesday after a viral video surfaced last week of her tearing down posters created by Israeli street artists Nitzan Mintz and Dede Bandaid.

The posters, which have appeared in many public places across the U.S. and abroad, do not take a position on how Israel should respond to the terror attacks, and instead focus solely on the facts of the kidnappings and murders that took place on Oct. 7.

Still, there have been several incidents in which anti-Israel demonstrators have torn them down.

Ruiz was captured on video tearing down the posters during a pro-Palestinian vigil, but was outed for her actions by nonprofit watchdog StopAntisemitism. 

The embattled assistant public defender sent an email to her colleagues at the NYCDS apologizing for her actions, and the agency on Monday the agency said publicly, “we accept the apology,” prompting inaccurate reports that she would face no internal reprimand.

ADN disputed those reports after it spoke to a confidential source within the agency who said the matter was still under review and “ongoing.”

The source also said Ruiz was on some form of leave and not in the office.

Many online stressed concerns after the incident as to whether Ruiz could or would zealously represent Jewish or Israeli American defendants in her capacity as an assistant public defender.

One user questioned her ability to fulfill her role, asking, "Some of those posters feature American children allegedly taken by Hamas. If she cannot advocate for American children, how can she be expected to defend the public?" 

Another user called for the NYCDS to review her legal work, insisting: 

"Victoria Ruiz's actions suggest she may harbor bias, which could impact her professional integrity and judgment. This could call into question the quality of defense provided to her clients." 

Another user said her conduct was juvenile and unbecoming of her professional position. Ruiz only remained in her position for two days after she sent her email.

Now that Ruiz has resigned her position at the NYCDS, questions remain as to whether the New York Bar will review the incident since attorneys are generally prohibited from engaging in certain conduct.

Under the New York State Bar rule 8.4(g), which models the same American Bar Association rule, “It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to … engage in conduct that the lawyer knows or reasonably should know is harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or socioeconomic status in conduct related to the practice of law.”

ADN emailed questions to Jorge Dopico, Executive Director the New York Bar First Department Grievance Committee on Monday to ask if the agency is opening an inquiry into the matter, but has not received a response.

One representative at the First Department told ADN the Committee does not comment on open matters until they are released in written form to the general public.

Ruiz graduated from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and was admitted to practice law in New York on Aug. 6, 2022. She reportedly also represents The Downtown Boys, a musical group that Rolling Stone once called “America’s most exciting punk band.”