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Ex-GOP mayoral candidate arrested as hundreds protest in Queens: ‘Have pity. No tent city!’

August 17, 2023 | | Print Article

Former New York City GOP mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa was taken away in handcuffs as hundreds protested in Queens at the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center where a massive tent city is going up for illegal immigrants.

The Guardian Angels founder was arrested on Wednesday and he wasn’t alone as police descended on the protest populated by angry New Yorkers as seen in video footage that has gone viral. Several local activists and residents were also cuffed. The tent city opened Tuesday and can hold approximately 1,000 illegal immigrants.

“Have pity. No tent city!” Sliwa loudly chanted according to Fox News, while slamming New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “We’re going to keep driving this point home until you decide to be the mayor and represent American people who are citizens of New York City who pay their taxes and afford to put you in a $5,000 customized suit each and every day.”

Some of the chants from protesters included “No tent city!” “Close the border!” “No migrants!” and “America first!”

(Video Credit: FREEDOMNEWS TV – NATIONAL)

As a busload of migrants reached the facility on Wednesday night, one person yelled, “Bunch of parasites, sorry to say” while others chanted, “USA!” according to the New York Post.

During the demonstration, Sliwa refused authorities’ orders to get out of the middle of the street near the Creedmoor facility and was arrested as another protester waved a Trump 2024 flag behind him. He handed off his sign to another protester as he was hauled off. Sliwa had previously said he was ready to be arrested for civil disobedience over the issue.

The NYPD warned demonstrators in an automated message that was broadcast over a loudspeaker that those blocking traffic would be arrested for disorderly conduct if they didn’t move.

(Video Credit: Curtis Sliwa)

Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams claim that the number of illegal immigrants that have swamped New York City has now surpassed 100,000. Adams claimed in a press conference in August that there is no longer any room in the city for the migrants who have illegally entered the U.S.

“Our next phase of this strategy, now that we have run out of room, we have to figure out how we’re going to localize the inevitable that there’s no more room indoors,” Adams said to reporters. “Here’s where we are right now. Yes, there were people sleeping in cooling vans. There were people along the sidewalk. We have to localize this madness. We have to figure out a way of how we don’t have what’s in other municipalities where you have tent cities all over the city.”

The Roosevelt Hotel where some of the illegal immigrants are staying is full to the brim, according to Fox 5. Pictures and video from last week bear out that claim and show men sleeping on the sidewalks outside the hotel.

(Video Credit: Michael Ferrara)

Sliwa got tons of support on social media:

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