The city’s residents acknowledge they are suffering the effects of increased violence. Still, they told Fox News they anticipate “utterly nothing” to come out of President Biden’s meeting with the mayor on Thursday.
Mayor Eric Adams and President Biden will meet in New York City to outline a “thorough process to tackle gun violence.”
Pres. Biden is heading to New York City to meet with Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul, and set to announce new actions targeting gun violence that the White House says builds on his "comprehensive strategy" unveiled last June. https://t.co/OuoqnHXBYU
— ABC News (@ABC) February 3, 2022
Violence and Crime at All-Time High
This comes on the heels of hundreds of police officers from across the country descending on New York City last month to pay their respects to slain New York City police officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora.
Both had been shot and murdered, while responding to a domestic violence incident.
Another woman expressed her feelings about the president’s visit, saying, “I think it was a complete waste of time. I believe he will accomplish absolutely nothing for the people of New York City.”
“Political – it’s all political,” the 75-year-old New Yorker who has lived in the city his whole life remarked. “That is the reason he is coming. There is no other explanation.”
President Biden plans to join New York Mayor Eric Adams today in "his highest-profile effort to date to model the Democrats’ election-year balancing act of supporting law enforcement while also insisting on new police accountability," @mikememoli reports. https://t.co/BMHMGZts0s
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) February 3, 2022
A strategy to restrict the flow of firearms, strengthen law enforcement, and enhance financing for community police was unveiled by the Biden administration on Thursday morning, ahead of President Biden’s arrival.
Last year, 485 individuals were killed in New York City, a modest rise over the previous year.
It also saw a significant spike in hate crimes and an increase in practically all categories of serious crimes in general. Furthermore, in 2022, subway crimes have increased by 65%.
Fear and Worry
In a statement to Fox News, a citizen of New York City said, “I cannot believe what has transpired in my city. Crime has spiraled out of hand.”
Another woman concurred, saying, “I know folks who won’t get on the metro. People change their schedules to accommodate it. It has an impact, particularly on women.”
One woman who operates a company in Manhattan said, “My customers, they’re terrified to stroll around the city after 5 o’clock.”
An anonymous construction worker told Fox News his mother phones him every night because she is afraid to go out. In the Bronx, where she lives, crime is rising, which is unfortunate for her.
“There are a lot of folks doing terrible things,” the man went on. People commit more crimes when they don’t have money, as well.
According to one lady, the increase in criminality began even before the virus arrived.
She added that former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo pushed through the bail and discovery legislation. “It’s altered everything,” she said, alluding to the laws enacted by the state assembly and signed by Cuomo.
“Unfortunately, no one is concerned, and no one is taking care of these difficulties,” she went on to say.
Many people expressed skepticism when asked if they believed the president’s visit would result in positive change: “Every president is a salesman who sells dreams. Let’s wait and see what happens,” one of them stated.
