On Tuesday evening, local residents stopped a bus that was carrying asylum seekers and illegal migrants into Staten Island. Over 100,000 people have sought entry to the United States in New York City during the last year. Tensions have been rising, leading to this incident.
Video footage shows protesters pounding on the bus, stopping traffic, and screaming “You’re Not Welcome!” and “You Are Illegal!”
Staten Island residents were outraged when they took to the streets on Tuesday night, blocking the arrival of a MTA bus that was transporting asylum seekers to a newly renovated shelter. Mayor Eric Adams called the action “ugly” despite the fact that over 100,000 migrants had been sent to New York City since last year.
After intercepting a bus heading to an old Island Shores assisted living facility, the group of unruly demonstrators, who were captured on video wailing and banging on the side of the vehicle, stopped traffic shortly before 10 p.m.
Nine people received summonses by police for disorderly behavior.
Vadim Belyakov, 48, has been charged with assaulting a police officer trying to arrest him.
Good Morning X-Land. Staten Island peaceful protestors being arrested last night over migrants being bused into their community. How long before the entire country says no more? pic.twitter.com/arXOct5Uw4
— SweetPeaBelle (@SweetPeaBell326) September 20, 2023
“Take your badge off!”
Pissed off New Yorker confronts NYPD officers after they arrested peaceful protesters for blocking migrant access to a Staten Island nursing home. pic.twitter.com/HBDhxVtXkF
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) September 20, 2023
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has condemned the actions taken by the protesters, but he also highlighted the fact that New Yorkers “are concerned” about the influx of illegal immigrants and asylum-seekers into the city. This trend is forcing the city to cut its budget.
“We have 8,3 million New Yorkers, and we cannot allow a numerical minority who shows an ugly display as to how we handle crisis to be used by New Yorkers as an example of what they are doing.” The mayor stated “New Yorkers, of course, are frustrated. New Yorkers, however, are very concerned.”
Adams continued, “And even migrants are very concerned.” We both agree that the national government should take on the responsibility of dealing with this crisis. New York City’s residents should not have to shoulder the burden.
Adams stated that the NYPD had “handled a small number” of those who were disorderly.
Some residents present at the incident claimed that the police escalated the situation.
Sal Monforte who lives just 200 feet away from the shelter told The Post that the protest was peaceful until the police arrived and “turned the scene into a chaos.”
People were being arrested without any reason. The ten people arrested last night shouldn’t have been arrested,” said the retired construction worker on Wednesday.
Last night, my daughter was holding a 5-year-old grandchild and a police officer was pushing her. I had to step between them.
He added, “It was a bit hectic.”
Monforte criticized the mayor for his decision to send over 200 police officers to the scene. He said that this was an overreach.
The city government is struggling to cope with the constant influx of people. The city is said to be considering a proposal that would limit the time a single adult can stay in shelters, from 60 days up to 30. The Biden administration, despite Adams’s pleas, has refused to meet the mayor or offer federal assistance for housing illegal immigrants and asylum-seekers.
Staten Island is not the only place where this type of incident occurs. New Yorkers have had enough of having to house the people who are being transported into the city. The situation is made worse by socialist state legislators who have proposed to raise taxes on New Yorkers to pay for this influx of people without cutting budgets. The city is stuck in the crossfire of emotion and lack of action, with no real solutions.
