Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Sunday that his city has become a “laughingstock” during one of the worst crime spikes in modern history.
Adams made the comments at the annual New York Police Department (NYPD) Holy Name Society communion mass and breakfast in the Midtown Hilton hotel, according to the New York Post. The Mayor referenced two separate recent shootings of children in the city and complained about the ongoing rise in crime.
“Anything goes in the city of New York,” Adams told the audience. “The most important city on the globe has become the laughingstock of the globe. And the dysfunctionality of our city has cascaded throughout the entire country. And the audacity that someone comes along and says, ‘I want to be your mayor,’ and simply says, ‘Follow the rules, follow the rules.’”
“It’s called swiping a Metrocard. If you don’t have enough to pay the fare, there’s a process that you can get the help that you deserve,” Adams continued. “Or if you go into a drugstore, do what my neighbor does — pay for what you want.”
Adams referred to himself as a “wartime general,” telling the audience that he will “be on the front line,” the New York Post reported.
In February, New York City experienced a 58.7% rise in overall crime compared to the same period in 2021, according to NYPD statistics. Robbery increased by 56%, grand larceny increased by almost 80%, and grand auto larceny rose 104.7%, while shooting decreased by 1.3%, NYPD continued.
Adams has previously blamed the city’s spike in crime on America’s “fixation with guns,” and that a “holistic approach” was needed to quell the violence. In January, Adams announced his “Blueprint to End Gun Violence,” but rates have continued to rise despite his approach, according to CNN.
