NYPD officers are “being respected, empowered to do their job,” Mayor Bill de Blasio claimed Friday– exactly one week after a thousand anti-police protestors descended on Downtown Brooklyn with signs saying “Punch that cop” and “F– the police.”

The demonstration was in response to a planned crackdown on fare evasion by the NYPD — and two controversial police actions in Brooklyn subway stations in recent weeks.

But on WNYC radio Friday morning the mayor discounted any significant division between the police and the community.

“The right wing in this town continues to try and dredge up the notion that people in this city are being negative towards the police,” he said.

“There are always a few who are,” he added.

Hizzoner also attacked Ed Mullins, head of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, for saying that outgoing Police Commissioner James O’Neill was the “worst commissioner in NYPD history.”

“He is a tried and true Trump supporter. He is as right wing as it gets,” de Blasio said.

Mullins fired right back.

“I am going to treat the mayor the same way the people of Iowa did and totally ignore his comments,” Mullins told The Post, referring to de Blasio’s dismal showing in the Hawkeye State where regularly polled at zero during his short-lived presidential run.

“I’m going to take a lesson from the people of Iowa. It seems to have worked for them, for the whole country,” Mullins said.

WNYC host Brian Lehrer asked de Blasio if police morale was really that high– citing the recent tragic surge in cop suicides and the disturbing pattern of punks dousing uniformed NYPD members with water over the summer.

“No, morale is strong. It needs to be stronger unquestionably, but it is strong,” de Blasio insisted.

He later added, “There have been individuals who have been disrespectful to police officers that’s not acceptable, by the way that’s not new.”