Guardian Angels, a volunteer safety organization, pledged to patrol New York City's subways on Sunday in the wake of the tragic death of an unidentified woman.
Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa said the Guardian Angels would return to the subways to protect straphangers amid a rise in violent crime.
“That was an example of people just not engaging.”
The squad began patrolling transit systems in 1979. He pledged to strengthen the group's presence and training, as it had decades ago.
“We went from 13 years old to 1,000 years old [members] At that time, it was less than a year ago,” Sliwa said. new york post. “Because there was a need. The need is here again. We're going to step up. We're definitely going to have the same visual presence that we had in the '70s, '80s, and…” 90's. ”
“We cover the actual train from front to back, walking around inside the train and making sure everything is okay,” he said. “We do this all the time. We're going to focus completely on that starting today because the subways are out of control.”
Sliwa told the Post that Guardian Angels will screen homeless people for their health and provide them with water. He said any observed issues will be reported to the New York City Police Department.
He said that “hundreds of citizens” have asked the Guardian Angels for assistance in operating the subway after Sebastián Zapeta Khalil, 33, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, allegedly set a woman on fire while riding the subway. He explained that he was requesting it. The deadly attack reportedly appeared unprovoked. Zapeta Khalil was deported in 2018 but re-entered the country at an unknown date.
“There are so many trains coming and going here,” Sliwa said. “This is a perfect place because it reminds people that a week ago no one did anything. No one intervened. No one pointed at the cops and said, 'This is him.' The police didn't do anything either. ”
“This was an example of people just not engaging,” he continued. “And we're here to say, 'You're seeing something, you're saying something.' Something has to be done.”
Despite an apparent increase in violent crime in the city, particularly on the subway system, local leaders continue to insist that public transportation is becoming safer.
On the same day the woman was assaulted, New York Governor Kathy Hochul (Democratic) released a statement. tone-deaf remark “In March, I took action to make the subway safer for the millions of people who use it every day,” the letter X says.
“Since deploying @NationalGuardNY and adding cameras to every subway car to support @NYPDnews and @MTA safety efforts, crime is down and ridership is up,” she claimed. .
Sliwa told the Post that crime is a problem on the city's subway system, in part because law enforcement officers aren't actively patrolling the trains.
“We're now back to where we were when we started the group on the subway in 1979. We've come full circle. We've never seen anything this bad. Never,” he said.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials similarly pointed out the lack of police presence.
“It's not going to be an overnight solution, but yeah, it looks good,” the worker told the Post, referring to the Guardian Angels' plan. “I think it will help. I don't think the cops downstairs will like it, but yeah. I don't know if you noticed, but there are no cops here.”
New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams' office called the Guardian Angels' announcement a “senseless stunt.”
“Mayor Adams is committed to improving the lives of New Yorkers, which is why he frequently takes the subway and asks how it can be made safer,” Kayla Mamalek, Adams' attorney, told the Post. “We're talking directly to everyday passengers about this.”
“While the mayor has rushed 1,000 police officers per day to the subways, reduced overall crime and traffic crime, and delivered real action rather than theatrics, he knows there is more work to be done. ” she said.
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