New York City Mayor Eric Adams remains convinced NYC is “the safest big city in America” despite the latest evidence to the contrary.
“I … want to say to New Yorkers: Listen, people want to give the energy of, because of isolated incidents that happen in our city, that our city is a place of disorder,” he said Saturday to radio station WAXQ host Jim Kerr, according to the New York Post.
“That is just a just a lot of BS. The city is resilient. … The people in this city are strong. Don’t let anybody give you all that BS about New York City is not resilient. This is the safest big city in America. We are the best city on the globe, period. None of all that other stuff. It’s just maddening,” he added.
Keep in mind that Adams said this only days after an altercation on an NYC subway led to a man being shot in the head.
His words predictably prompted lots of doubt:
Dude is in denial
— Al Davilla (@DevillierAl) March 16, 2024
Then why is the toothpaste behind lock and key in CVS on 42nd and 3rd? … The toothpaste !!!
— raja flores (@RajaFlores) March 17, 2024
Yes the safest city in America that needed to call in 1000 national guard troops to patrol the subways
So safe
— PD (@sunvomit) March 17, 2024
Safe unless you walk down the street and safe unless you get on the subway or a bus and safe unless you go to church and safe unless you go to the store and save unless you stay in your own home…
— Ultra MAGA Joyce Day (@Daytobehappy) March 16, 2024
I felt extremely safe on the subway when hit on the head by a water battle or being screamed at maniacally for being a ‘white b*tch’ or my cell phone being pulled out of my hand (unsuccessfully). Very safe. Thank you, mayor Adams!
— Yelena Gorodetskaya (@lena_gerin) March 17, 2024
Notice what one critic wrote: “Yes the safest city in America that needed to call in 1000 national guard troops to patrol the subways.”
This is true. As previously reported, earlier this month New York Gov. Kathy Hochul begun deploying National Guard soldiers and State Police officers to patrol NYC’s subways and, more importantly, check riders’ bags.
In fairness to Adams, Hochul for her part believes her National Guard deployment is helping to reduce crime in NYC.
“My objective was to make sure [the National Guard is] in our main transit hubs – you see them at Grand Central [Station] and other places — so they can free up [NYPD cops],” she told reporters Saturday. “So the plan is working as we had expected.”
But many vociferously disagree, including NYC Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli, who told the Post that Hochul’s remarks don’t make any sense
“We had a week of shootings and attacks on the subway, so how can this be going to plan?” he asked rhetorically, adding that Hochul lives in two separate realities: one where the subway is safe, and one where it’s not.
“Neither of those worlds can be the same, but in the governor’s opinion they are,” he said.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis meanwhile accused Hochul and other Democrats of being “disconnected” from “the reality of what New Yorkers are facing each and every day.”
Malliotakis also said it’d be better for the National Guard to patrol the northern border and New York Police Department (NYPD) officers to patrol the subway.
“There’s no replacement for the NYPD,” she said. “We need more police officers in our subways.”
As previously reported, Hochul is also facing backlash from former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Former Gov Cuomo rips Hochul for deploying Natl. Guard in subways, not addressing root of crime surge https://t.co/VOi8Mq9QpC via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) March 14, 2024
“You need police,” he said last Wednesday to hosts John Catsimatidis and Rita Cosby of the “Cats & Cosby Show.” “The National Guard are not police and we don’t have to reinvent the wheel here.”
“Why is there a spike in crime in the subway system? Because you have the lowest level of police in the subway system in a decade. You don’t need the National Guard checking bags. You need transit police in the system. That’s the answer … This is not what the National Guard does. It’s not what they’re trained to do,” he added.
He also slammed Hochul for pushing back against a request for her to hire more New York Police Department (NYPD) officers, arguing that her “no” was a political decision.
“We still have a hangover from this ‘defund the police,’” he said. “It’s just politics where the [city] council doesn’t want to hire police, and the state doesn’t want to say you should hire more police because it is this hangover [from] ‘defund the police.’”
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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