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By: Jared Evan
Manhattan’s West Side has become a glaring symbol of New York City’s descent into chaos, where disorder reigns in broad daylight.
A typical Monday highlighted by the NY Post epitomized the tragic state of affairs: a public brawl, drug users sprawled on concrete barriers, and the daily struggles of the mentally ill playing out mere steps from curious tourists.
This mess didn’t appear overnight. It is the result of years of failed leadership, poor policy decisions, and a city council that refuses to acknowledge the disaster at hand. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio, in particular, bears much of the blame for the current situation.
His administration’s laissez-faire approach to crime and homelessness fostered an environment where fare evasion went unchecked, signaling to criminals and vagrants alike that the city was open for exploitation. The consequences of these policies are now painfully evident on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen and Times Square.
On the day after a report by the New York Post highlighted the “humanitarian crisis” engulfing the gateway neighborhood, the streets continued to paint a grim picture. Outside Dave & Buster’s, a man writhed in agony on the pavement, while a topless homeless person donned a Burger King crown and urinated publicly outside the Yankees Clubhouse store. Two other vagrants engaged in a fistfight right in the middle of a bike lane on Eighth Avenue, showcasing the brazen lawlessness that now characterizes the area.
Meanwhile, another homeless man, clad only in Spiderman underwear, lay sleeping on a concrete barrier turned makeshift bed.
Nearby, tourists looked on in shock as a man casually smoked crack outside the AMC Cinema. Such scenes have become all too familiar in the area, where vagrants have made themselves at home amid the hustle and bustle of Times Square. Today Times Square resembles the old Times Square, Without the legendary grind hose movie houses and porno.
“There are too many vagrants around, a lot of mentally ill, and a lot of drug users,” said Jay Hunt, a Hell’s Kitchen resident and native New Yorker, expressing his frustration at the city’s decline, to the NY Post. “De Blasio started this when he turned a blind eye to fare evasion.
“Now police won’t even stop a mentally unstable, drugged-out guy on the street. The whole area around Times Square is a disgrace.”
Despite a slight dip in overall crime across New York City, the NYPD Midtown North sector, which includes the north end of Times Square, the Theater District, and Hell’s Kitchen, has seen a staggering 71% increase in felonies over the past week compared to the same period in 2023. So far this year, felonies in this area are up 10% compared to last year. This uptick in crime reflects the broader failure of progressive policies that have prioritized ideological agendas over public safety.
The city’s current administration, under Mayor Eric Adams, faces an uphill battle in addressing the twin crises of homelessness and mental illness. Brooklyn resident Llyah Blount, visiting Times Square to catch a movie, expressed her concerns about the area’s safety. “Around here, you get to see the best and the worst of New York. It’s not safe for anybody. You need eyes in the back of your head.”
“We have people who have been arrested 50 or 100 times without any meaningful intervention,” lamented local council member Erik Bottcher. “At what point does anyone do anything to interrupt the cycle?”
