By: Ilana Siyance
Neighbors of the famed Washington Square park agree that the violence, noise, drug use and late night partying have become a real problem. The NYPD reported four felony assaults in the park in the first quarter of this year, up from zero in the same period last year and the year before. Last year, the NYPD counted 22 felony assaults in the park, up from 12 the previous year. “People in this neighborhood pray for rain because then we have quiet,” said Erika Sumner, a resident and board member of the Washington Square Association, a civic group that tries to improve the area. “I can’t imagine anyone in New York wants fireworks outside their window at 1:30 a.m.”
While everyone agrees that the situation has gotten out of hand, the question which remains is how to solve the problem. In a quest to make the area safer, the NY Police Department together with the Parks Department tried earlier weekend closures at the park. The effort resulted in resistance from park-goers and more violence. Five police officers were injured and 22 people were arrested. The police have been looking for input from the neighborhood as to how to reach the desired calm in the area.
Last Wednesday night, a community meeting with police and park officials packed a nearby church basement to capacity with over 150 people. NYPD Assistant Chief Stephen Hughes addressed the group suggesting that some parties which lost access to warehouses and other spaces because of the pandemic, relocated to the park. He asked for feedback on what time to shut the park, how strictly to enforce rules, and suggested a ban on amplified music. “What’s acceptable to the community?” he said. “I would prefer an earlier closing, but I’ll go with what the consensus is.”
Residents’ responses were mixed. Some said they want early closures or strict enforcement on the regular midnight closings. Some expressed the opinion that the homeless, mentally ill and addicts in the park are in need of more social services. William Castro, a Manhattan Borough commissioner at the Parks Department, said he would like to add daily outreach teams to help drug users get treatment, bolster arts programs for families, and reopen two lawns for family use. “That will flood the zone of good people, normal people, so to speak, so the drug people perhaps get driven out,” he said.
