By: Krug Stillo

New York University students are complaining that Washington Square Park has lost its “vibe” now that police have cleared the area of drug users and homeless individuals — even as one student was attacked near the park this week, the NY Post first reported.

The student newspaper, Washington Square Park News, lamented that “a once vibrant park is now characterized by an uncanny stillness,” according to the NY Post. Some students even chalked the message, “Where are our neighbors?” on the walkways, referring to the homeless community that once populated the park’s northwest corner.

“I feel like a large community is gone,” first-year student Caspin Berklee said, recalling time spent feeding pigeons in the park, the NY Post reported. Another student echoed Democratic Socialists of America talking points, calling the police actions “criminalization of poverty” that puts unhoused individuals in more danger.

The crackdown came after the NYPD busted a major drug-dealing ring. Nearly 70 additional officers were deployed around the clock to remove junkies and dealers from the Greenwich Village landmark, according to the NY Post. Local residents welcomed the cleanup.

Yet trouble still surfaced. On Monday, 20-year-old NYU student Amelia Lewis was attacked by a homeless man while walking to class near the park. According to the NY Post, the assailant, James Rizzo, 45, allegedly slapped her, yanked her hair, and threw her to the ground. Rizzo has a long criminal history in the area, and police said he was later arrested after allegedly burglarizing four apartments in Washington Square Village.

NYU’s crime logs reflect persistent issues around the park, with 102 incidents reported last month, including stalking, harassment, fondling, robbery, larceny, and extortion, the NY Post reported. Overall, the Sixth Precinct has seen 14 rapes and 71 other sex crimes so far in 2025 — a 9% increase over last year.

Despite the statistics, some NYU students told the NY Post that the park now feels “hostile” rather than homey. Sophomore Sharnova Nashra said she avoids the park, claiming “the same energy isn’t there… it’s just less welcoming.” Another student lamented that the area “feels devoid of the spirit of New York.”

Neighbors and adult residents offered a starkly different view. Trevor Sumner, president of the Washington Square Association, told the NY Post that the park’s former conditions — with drug rings distributing millions of doses of fentanyl, heroin, and crack — were genuinely dangerous. He emphasized that the police presence protects women from assaults, prevents stabbings, and restores the park to a space safe for the community.

Surveillance footage and NYPD patrols have been intensified since October 31, according to the NY Post. While students mourn the loss of familiar faces, residents largely see the crackdown as a long-overdue improvement to make Washington Square Park inclusive for everyone.

As police continue to monitor the area, the debate over safety versus atmosphere in the Greenwich Village landmark shows no signs of ending, the NY Post first reported.