Tensions flared outside Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, on Sunday as hundreds of Staten Island residents protested against the opening of new migrant shelters in their borough. The demonstration, organized by Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, took a heated turn when counterprotesters clashed with the group, leading to several arrests and a flurry of emotions.
Sliwa, a prominent advocate for the rights of asylum seekers, had initially called on Mayor Adams to house asylum seekers at Gracie Mansion. However, Adams had previously pledged to accommodate migrants at the official mayoral residence before later retracting the proposal. This decision left many Staten Island residents disgruntled, leading to the protest on Sunday.
In video footage captured outside Gracie Mansion, confrontations between the two opposing groups escalated rapidly. Some protesters could be heard identifying the counterprotesters as Antifa, highlighting the tense atmosphere that had been brewing.
Curtis Sliwa, a key figure in the protest, recounted, “Antifa had been sending out emails and texts all weekend, saying that they would be there to smash the xenophobes, including me and Eric Adams. Their whole goal was to smash the xenophobes.”
As tensions escalated, Sliwa made efforts to maintain order by urging protesters to stand behind a police barricade set up for safety and security. NYPD officers intervened to restore order and took several individuals into custody.
During the course of the protest, five people were arrested, including Curtis Sliwa himself. Among those detained were an 81-year-old woman and an 80-year-old man, all charged with obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct. Additionally, a 32-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman were charged with assault, with the man facing an additional charge of resisting arrest.
In response to the protest, a spokesperson for Mayor Adams released a statement acknowledging the concerns of New Yorkers regarding the migrant crisis. The statement emphasized the city’s ongoing efforts to provide shelter for asylum seekers and called for broader state and national solutions to address the issue.
“New Yorkers are weary of bearing the brunt of this national crisis, and we empathize with their concerns. With more than 100,000 asylum seekers that have come through our intake system since spring 2022 and hundreds more continuing to arrive in our city asking for shelter daily, New York City has been left largely alone to deal with a national crisis that demands difficult decision-making. We have opened 206 sites, including 15 large-scale humanitarian relief centers, and are constantly searching for new places to provide asylum seekers with the shelter they are asking for. But let’s be clear: This situation demands a broader state and national solution,” he stated.
The protest centered on a migrant shelter at St. John Villa Academy in Staten Island’s Arrochar neighborhood. A temporary restraining order had been granted on Friday, blocking the city from using the facility for housing migrants. However, the order was subsequently reversed on appeal, allowing the city to proceed with its plans.
With an estimated 100,000 asylum seekers arriving in New York State in the past year, both Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul have appealed to President Biden for federal assistance in managing the influx of migrants. The situation continues to be a source of contention and concern for local residents and officials alike. Another protest outside the former school was scheduled for Monday evening, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding this issue.
