Curtis Sliwa has a message for vacationers visiting the Massive Apple: “In the event you hear gunfire, you higher duck!”
The Republican mayoral candidate shared the grim warning on Monday — a day after a Marine was struck by a stray bullet in Instances Sq., a month after three harmless bystanders had been additionally injured in a broad-daylight capturing within the Crossroads of the World.
“You want everybody you will get on this space now as a result of there’s against the law disaster, it’s the wild, wild West!” Sliwa mentioned in Instances Sq. about including extra cops to the vacationer hotspot — a measure that officers introduced earlier Monday.
“Yesterday, I used to be warning vacationers, I used to be saying, ‘Welcome to New York Metropolis. Hopefully, you’ll have a secure time. You’re not going to get COVID-19 however you may get lead poisoning,’ ” he mentioned. ” ‘In the event you hear gunfire, you higher duck!’ “
Sliwa additionally held up the New York Put up’s Monday entrance web page — bearing the headline “Vacationer shot in Instances Sq.” — saying it “mentioned all of it.”
“I imply, this headline, this entrance web page says all of it,” Sliwa mentioned.
The Guardian Angels founder criticized Mayor Invoice de Blasio — who on Monday promised cops would “flood” Instances Sq. — for being “MIA” within the tourism hub instantly following the broad-daylight capturing.
“De Blasio ought to’ve been right here yesterday to reassure residents, the vacationers, the retailers who’re coming again, the life that’s starting to re-emerge after the tip of this pandemic that, ‘We’re going to crack down on crime in Instances Sq.,’” mentioned Sliwa throughout his press convention, with fellow crimson beret-wearing males standing behind him.
“And but, [he was] MIA, like he’s in all crime conditions.”
To fight the surge in shootings and different incidents just like the one Sunday, the well-known transit patroller recommended the town carry again its plainclothes anti-crime unit, which was scrapped in June 2020.
“These men and women had been like thespians,” mentioned Sliwa.
The Republican mayoral nominee pledged to successfully use the “heroic” anti-crime unit personnel if he pulls off an unlikely victory within the closely Democratic Massive Apple.
“I’m telling you from day one once I change into mayor, these heroic women and men are going to be on the market,” he mentioned.
“With out these women and men on the market from Midtown north to Midtown south, you’re going to proceed to have this aggressive exercise, proceed to have fights and disputes that result in stabbings and shootings.”
As well as, Sliwa mentioned Rikers Island — which is slated to get replaced with 4 new jails — shouldn’t shut its doorways.
“Maintain Rikers Island open,” he mentioned. “There’s nonetheless loads of room for mentally disturbed … people. So no to neighborhood jails. Rikers Island can perform.”
Sliwa’s doubtless Democratic opponent in November, Eric Adams, who holds a 10-point lead within the first spherical within the ranked-choice voting election, mentioned the capturing is a “chilling reminder” of the elevated gun violence within the 5 boroughs.
“The information of one other capturing in Instances Sq., in broad daylight, is a chilling reminder of the rising risk of gun violence throughout our metropolis,” Adams mentioned in an announcement Sunday evening.
“We can’t have an actual financial restoration from COVID-19 if our facilities of enterprise and tourism are perceived to be unsafe,” the assertion went on. “The leaders of this metropolis, each now and going ahead, have to be dedicated to each the intervention and prevention measures wanted to save lots of lives.”
In the meantime, Instances Sq.’s Bare Cowboy mentioned Monday he’s “one hundred pc” endorsing Sliwa for mayor when requested by a Put up reporter, then sang an impromptu marketing campaign jingle whereas strumming his acoustic guitar connected to an American flag strap.
“Curtis Sliwa for mayor of NYC,” sang the shirtless man, whose actual identify is Robert Burck, “’trigger he’s your best option New Yorkers will ever see.”
Extra reporting by Kevin Sheehan
