Brooklyn Councilmember Inna Vernikov gets unwanted kiss from creep. New York councilwoman was kissed by a stranger on the street during a TV interview on Thursday, August 17. Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, who represents New York City's 48th District and is the council's minority whip, was speaking to CBS New York reporter Hannah Kliger in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Brighton Beach when a man walking by leaned in and kissed Vernikov on the cheek before smiling and continuing to walk down the street. A New York City Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson told Newsweek on Friday morning that no report had been filed by Vernikov regarding the incident. "This is abhorrent and disgusting," New York City Councilwoman Lynn Schulman of District 29 posted to X in support of Vernikov. "Hope the assailant is found. Sadly, this type of unacceptable behavior typically happens to women, even in 2023. Am standing with you @InnaVernikov."
"What the f***?" the councilwoman responded, whipping her head around to get a look at the stranger. Brighton Beach is one of the areas represented by Vernikov, a business owner and attorney who was elected in 2021.
Vernikov sarcastically responded to the incident under a video of the incident posted by Kliger on X (formerly Twitter), writing, "Not the kind of love I'd expect from constituents!" The councilwoman later called the incident creepy.