Latest news with #OperationRestoreRoosevelt
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
AOC, progressives ripped for ignoring 'Red Light' district as prostitution, filthy streets return
The red lights are back flashing along a notorious prostitution strip in New York City represented by progressive Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Grace Meng. Along the crammed, grimy sidewalks of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, sex workers are once again openly soliciting clients while vendors grill meats and hawk suspected stolen or counterfeit goods – despite police waging a months-long crackdown to stop the chaos. It's become a way of life – and a years-long blight – for residents in the migrant-dense neighborhood who say they have grown tired of calling on Ocasio-Cortez and Meng to act and liken conditions to a "Red Light district" or a third-world flea market. Others have nicknamed the strip the "Avenue of the Sweethearts," given its reputation for women purportedly turning tricks. Leaders In Aoc's 'Red Light' District Call On Kash Patel To Crush 'Worsening' Gang Crime And Prostitution "All the criminal activity has reverted to the way it was last year," Ramses Frias, a local activist and Republican City Council candidate, told Fox News Digital. "Our residents feel like prisoners in their own homes while criminals walk freely, preying on helpless victims." He said gangs like the 18th Street gang and Tren de Aragua are suspected of operating in the area since various spots are graffiti-tagged with their insignia. Read On The Fox News App Fox News Digital visited Roosevelt Avenue after Ocasio-Cortez's town hall last month and witnessed as many as 30 women on one block appearing to offer sex for money to Friday night revelers while parents and children walked by. The women were jostling men and enticing them for sex despite a visible police presence nearby. Most women operate on Meng's side of the strip; the majority of vendors are on Ocasio-Cortez's side, with their district border running through the center of the street. PHOTOS: Swipe to see more images Hours before the town hall, other sidewalks were jammed with vendors flogging counterfeit Apple headphones and watches and tools. Food vendors sizzled meats at vendor stalls and kept juices in massive, unlabeled canisters under the gritty subway underpass – devoid of any labels or apparent sanitation or health and safety standards. Fruit and ice-cream stalls also permeated the busy strip. Fox News Digital returned to the neighborhood on Friday and witnessed much of the same rampant prostitution and illegal vending. Additionally, several women were threading eyebrows along a sidewalk on a commercial street just off Roosevelt Avenue, while men were selling sneakers from cars and other food vendors were seen dumping wastewater down drains. Residents have warned for months that Operation Restore Roosevelt – a 90-day enhanced police crime crackdown on the area which started in October – needed to be made permanent and that the warming weather would likely see more scantily-clad women appear on the streets. NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry told Fox News Digital that the boots-on-the-ground operation, which consisted of more than 200 additional police officers, reduced crime by 29% in the area so far this year and significantly reduced criminal activity. "There has been a notable difference," Daughtry said. "Robberies are down 23%, felony assaults are down 33%, burglaries are down 47%, and grand larceny is down 30%." Daughtry said he wants the work to have "a real, lasting difference," while saying that a lot still needs to be done. He said 15 brothels were raided out of 30 court filings made by the police. Aoc's 'Red Light' District Overrun With Prostitutes As Locals Call Out Mia 'Squad' Member For instance, days after Ocasio-Cortez's town hall, authorities shut down a notorious brothel, dubbed the "bodega brothel" by locals, which was operating above a corner store near two schools in Ocasio-Cortez's district. Video from inside the cat house obtained by Fox News Digital shows squalid conditions, with five cramped, makeshift rooms sectioned off by wooden panels and shower curtains with just enough room to fit a bed in every one of them. On Tuesday, two brothels were raided by police on Meng's side of Roosevelt Avenue, the same block where Fox News Digital observed 30 alleged prostitutes. Frias said a large crowd gathered to watch the sweep, some heckling the alleged johns as they were cuffed and taken into custody while suspected prostitutes were led out with their heads covered in shower curtains to shield their identities. Frias said the crowd reaction proved the neighborhood is fully aware of the illicit activity and is fed up, but that three to four other brothels are operating on that same block. Frias added that residents are terrified to walk the streets and would rather stay home than step outside. "Our laws need to become stricter, and it's time to elect representatives who have the best interests of the community and its safety as a priority," said Frias, who's looking to oust City Council member Shekar Krishnan in District 25. He blasted Ocasio-Cortez in particular, saying she has never used her massive social media presence to address the dire situation. Daughtry, too, called on Ocasio-Cortez and Meng to do more. He and the mayor's office said the pair did not collaborate with them in the police crackdown. "Never seen her," Daughtry said about Ocasio-Cortez. "She's never reached out to us. We would really love her assistance to help us, but at the end of the day, we have to do what's right and restore some law and order back to Roosevelt. I would like AOC to partner with us... use her platform to help us get funding or connect women to services." Aoc's 'Red Light District' Plagued By Crime As Democrat Who Helped Her Rise To Power Says She 'Disappeared' Daughtry said issues like prostitution have permeated the area for decades, and he remembers it being a hot spot for prostitution in the '90s. He said the migrant crisis exacerbated the situation as many migrants were drawn to the area, given that it already has a large Latin American population. Mayor Eric Adams spearheaded Operation Restore Roosevelt in collaboration with the NYPD and City Council member Francisco Moya, a moderate Democrat who has often been at odds with his party's progressive wing. Daughtry said Moya was a "huge partner" who physically walked Roosevelt Avenue with him and participated in raids, as did Adams. Adams' office said the operation underscored the administration's commitment to "making sure these crime and quality-of-life issues continue to improve." Meng, meanwhile, told Fox News Digital she is working with local law enforcement and Moya on the matter and described the situation as "concerning." Ocasio-Cortez's office told Fox News Digital that she has engaged with local stakeholders in the area and helped fix lights in the neighborhood. The situation on Roosevelt Avenue was not raised by Ocasio-Cortez at her town hall, nor by constituents who spoke in a question-and-answer portion. Residents Andrew Sokolof Diaz and John Szewczuk told Fox News Digital outside the event that the Roosevelt Avenue problem is a long-standing issue and that local lawmakers must do more to address it. Resident Mark LaVergne pinned much of the blame on Ocasio-Cortez for not doing more and said he felt many of the women were likely trafficked into that murky underground world. "I feel very sad… There's a Dunkin' Donuts I frequent on Roosevelt and 82nd Street and I noticed that above that there is some sort of thing going on, and I see the look in the eyes of these sex workers," LaVergne said. "I really feel sorry for them. Some of them are here, probably under difficult situations. Maybe they were forced here, maybe they're forced to do this kind of work. You've got to take care of the people that'll get you elected. I mean, that just seems like the most just thing. That's justice. Taking care of the people who got you elected."Original article source: AOC, progressives ripped for ignoring 'Red Light' district as prostitution, filthy streets return
Economic Times
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
As Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jets across the U.S. to battle oligarchy, her Queens district pleads with FBI chief Kash Patel to fight prostitution and drug chaos at home
What's really happening along Roosevelt Avenue? Live Events Why are Queens leaders turning to the FBI? FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel As Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pushes her national agenda, her own district is raising the alarm. Queens residents are pleading for federal assistance to combat rising crime, prostitution, and gang a brief NYPD crackdown, locals now want the FBI to intervene to prevent what they call an escalating AOC promotes her anti-oligarchy tour across the United States, her constituents in Queens beg for assistance at home.A former Democratic state senator and other local leaders wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel last week, urging him to deploy agents to address the raging problem along Roosevelt Avenue, a 2-mile commercial strip that has been compared to both a red-light district and a Third World Country, where it is common to see instances of prostitution, as quoted in a report by Fox claimed that the gangs had transformed Roosevelt Avenue into the marketplace for their 'well-oiled criminal machine.' Roosevelt Avenue has more than just a gang issue. It is now considered also assert that the brutal 18th Street Gang has taken over illicit activities there, displacing other gangs such as Tren de Aragua following a large-scale police operation that resulted in hundreds of of city and state troopers descended on the neighborhood as part of that police crackdown, known as "Operation Restore Roosevelt," which began in more than 1,800 arrests and more than 15,000 summonses, the NYPD told Fox News Digital that the crackdown has led to a 37% year-to-date decrease in crime in the Roosevelt Avenue Democrat state senator Hiram Monserrate and the two organizations, Neighbors of the American Triangle and Restore Roosevelt Ave., urged Patel to look into the "ever-worsening situation" they are leaders claim Roosevelt Avenue has become a hotspot for gangs, trafficking, and drug dealing, and they want answers. Now, all eyes are on FBI Director Kash Patel to take leading the vigorous 90-day police blitz, New York City Mayor Eric Adams received a tonne of praise from local activists and however, claim the blitz was short-lived and that bars have been transformed into makeshift brothels where prostitution can be easily negotiated in dingy rooms downstairs after a to the leaders, a large number of prostitution workers are immigrants."The NYPD's Operation Restore Roosevelt did lead to arrests, but our street sources say the gangs replaced their foot soldiers within days," the advocates dance floors remained open, the money kept flowing, and the prostitutes returned in full force. This issue is not unique to Queens; it serves as a model for how traffickers, cartels, and gangs can easily take over a community, as per a report by Fox 18th Street gang has marked their territory with gang insignia. According to Monserrate, the gangs are engaged in a wide range of violent crimes, illegal gun sales, identity theft, drug and human trafficking, and the distribution of fake Green to his sources, there are at least 20 brothels in the region, some of which are located close to educational Grace Meng, D-N.Y., who represents the neighborhood in her district, told Fox News Digital that she keeps a close eye on the NYPD's continuous efforts to enhance the neighborhood's quality of life and public are urging the FBI and DEA to intervene and address the rising crime, sex trafficking, and gang activity that has taken over parts of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens.A 90-day NYPD blitz provided temporary relief, but residents report that the gangs quickly returned, and illegal activity resumed, transforming bars into brothels and streets into gang territory.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
As Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jets across the U.S. to battle oligarchy, her Queens district pleads with FBI chief Kash Patel to fight prostitution and drug chaos at home
As Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pushes her national agenda, her own district is raising the alarm. Queens residents are pleading for federal assistance to combat rising crime, prostitution, and gang activity. Following a brief NYPD crackdown, locals now want the FBI to intervene to prevent what they call an escalating crisis. While AOC promotes her anti-oligarchy tour across the United States, her constituents in Queens beg for assistance at home. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They were so beautiful before; look at them now; number 10 will Surprise you Today's NYC Undo ALSO READ: Big trouble for 'Waiting for Tonight' singer: Jennifer Lopez may be grilled in Diddy's trial as legal team scrambles to erase 1999 club shooting from record What's really happening along Roosevelt Avenue? A former Democratic state senator and other local leaders wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel last week, urging him to deploy agents to address the raging problem along Roosevelt Avenue, a 2-mile commercial strip that has been compared to both a red-light district and a Third World Country, where it is common to see instances of prostitution, as quoted in a report by Fox News. Live Events They claimed that the gangs had transformed Roosevelt Avenue into the marketplace for their 'well-oiled criminal machine.' Roosevelt Avenue has more than just a gang issue. It is now considered gangland. They also assert that the brutal 18th Street Gang has taken over illicit activities there, displacing other gangs such as Tren de Aragua following a large-scale police operation that resulted in hundreds of arrests. Hundreds of city and state troopers descended on the neighborhood as part of that police crackdown, known as "Operation Restore Roosevelt," which began in October. With more than 1,800 arrests and more than 15,000 summonses, the NYPD told Fox News Digital that the crackdown has led to a 37% year-to-date decrease in crime in the Roosevelt Avenue zone. Why are Queens leaders turning to the FBI? Former Democrat state senator Hiram Monserrate and the two organizations, Neighbors of the American Triangle and Restore Roosevelt Ave., urged Patel to look into the "ever-worsening situation" they are facing. Local leaders claim Roosevelt Avenue has become a hotspot for gangs, trafficking, and drug dealing, and they want answers. Now, all eyes are on FBI Director Kash Patel to take action. After leading the vigorous 90-day police blitz, New York City Mayor Eric Adams received a tonne of praise from local activists and residents. Locals, however, claim the blitz was short-lived and that bars have been transformed into makeshift brothels where prostitution can be easily negotiated in dingy rooms downstairs after a dance. According to the leaders, a large number of prostitution workers are immigrants. "The NYPD's Operation Restore Roosevelt did lead to arrests, but our street sources say the gangs replaced their foot soldiers within days," the advocates said. The dance floors remained open, the money kept flowing, and the prostitutes returned in full force. This issue is not unique to Queens; it serves as a model for how traffickers, cartels, and gangs can easily take over a community, as per a report by Fox News. The 18th Street gang has marked their territory with gang insignia. According to Monserrate, the gangs are engaged in a wide range of violent crimes, illegal gun sales, identity theft, drug and human trafficking, and the distribution of fake Green Cards. According to his sources, there are at least 20 brothels in the region, some of which are located close to educational institutions. Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., who represents the neighborhood in her district, told Fox News Digital that she keeps a close eye on the NYPD's continuous efforts to enhance the neighborhood's quality of life and public safety. FAQs What do residents in AOC's district want? Residents are urging the FBI and DEA to intervene and address the rising crime, sex trafficking, and gang activity that has taken over parts of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. Has anything been done so far to address the issues? A 90-day NYPD blitz provided temporary relief, but residents report that the gangs quickly returned, and illegal activity resumed, transforming bars into brothels and streets into gang territory.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Leaders in AOC's 'Red Light' district call on Kash Patel to crush 'worsening' gang crime and prostitution
As Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., privately jets across the nation for her "Fighting Oligarchy" tour, residents in her Queens constituency have been calling on the FBI and the DEA to help them crack down on the illegal sex workers and drug dealers that they say have turned their neighborhood into a festering "gangland." Last week, local leaders, including a former Democrat state senator, wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel urging him to unleash agents to quell the raging problem along Roosevelt Avenue – a 2-mile commercial strip which has been likened to both a Third World Country and a Red Light district – where scantily-clad women on sidewalks soliciting sex is commonplace. They also claim the ruthless 18th Street Gang has taken over illegal operations there, filling the void of other gangs like with Tren de Aragua after a massive police operation saw hundreds of people arrested. Aoc's 'Red Light' District Overrun With Prostitutes As Locals Call Out Mia 'Squad' Member That police crackdown, which started in October and was labeled "Operation Restore Roosevelt," saw hundreds of city and state troopers descend on the neighborhood. The NYPD told Fox News Digital that the clampdown has resulted in a 37% year-to-date drop in crime in the Roosevelt Avenue zone with more than 1,800 arrests and more than 15,000 summonses. Residents and local activists heaped praise on New York City Mayor Eric Adams after he spearheaded the aggressive 90-day police blitz. Read On The Fox News App But locals say the blitz was short-lived and bars have been turned into makeshift brothels where a dance can easily be negotiated into sex in dingy rooms downstairs. Many of the sex workers are migrants, the leaders said. "The NYPD's Operation Restore Roosevelt did lead to arrests, but our street sources say the gangs replaced their foot soldiers within days," said the advocates, who include former Democrat state Senator Hiram Monserrate. "The money never stopped moving, the dance floors stayed open, and the prostitutes came back in full force. This isn't just a Queens problem, it's a blueprint for how gangs, cartels, and traffickers can take over a community in plain sight." They said that the gangs have turned the two-mile seedy strip into a "well-oiled criminal machine" using Roosevelt Avenue as its marketplace. "Roosevelt Avenue doesn't just have a gang problem. It has become gangland." The NYPD did not confirm the locals' claims about gangs operating in the area. Aoc's 'Red Light District' Plagued By Crime As Democrat Who Helped Her Rise To Power Says She 'Disappeared' Monserrate and the two groups — Restore Roosevelt Ave. and Neighbors of the American Triangle — called on Patel to investigate the "ever-worsening situation" they face. They write that the 18th Street gang have tagged their gang insignia around the area marking their territory. Monserrate said that the gangs are involved in all sorts of serious crimes, including human and drug trafficking, illegal gun sales, identity theft and distributing fake Green Cards, as well as violent crimes. His sources have identified at least 20 brothels in the area, some of which operate near schools. He said that crime in general is still plaguing the area. Earlier this week, a man was fatally stabbed when he tried to stop a violent thief from stealing his bike steps from a local subway station, police said. Monserrate shared a video with Fox News Digital with what he said were 23 alleged sex workers on one block. In September, Fox News Digital cameras recorded a line of no less than 19 alleged sex workers on one block along Roosevelt Avenue with at least seven more on the next block. One woman was witnessed soliciting sex for $60. Click To Get The Fox News App Cortez has yet to respond to multiple Fox News Digital requests for comment regarding the situation along Roosevelt Avenue. She is scheduled to hold a town hall in the neighborhood on Saturday. Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., whose district also includes the neighborhood, told Fox News Digital that she is closely engaged with the NYPD's ongoing efforts to improve public safety and quality of life in the area. "I have confidence in the NYPD's commitment and capability to address these challenges, and I commend their sustained presence and work in the community," Meng said. "As the top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee responsible for funding for law enforcement agencies such as the NYPD and FBI, I will continue to advocate for the resources they need to protect residents in Queens."Original article source: Leaders in AOC's 'Red Light' district call on Kash Patel to crush 'worsening' gang crime and prostitution
Fox News
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Leaders in AOC's Red Light district call on Kash Patel to crush 'worsening' gang crime and prostitution
As Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., privately jets across the nation for her "Fighting Oligarchy" tour, residents in her Queens constituency have been calling on the FBI and the DEAto help them crack down on the illegal sex workers and drug dealers that they say have turned their neighborhood into a festering "gangland." Last week, local leaders, including a former Democrat state senator, wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel urging him to unleash agents to quell the raging problem along Roosevelt Avenue – a 2-mile commercial strip which has been likened to both a Third World Country and a Red-Light district – where scantily-clad women on sidewalks soliciting sex is commonplace. They also claim the ruthless 18th Street Gang has taken over illegal operations there, filling the void of other gangs like with Tren de Aragua after a massive police operation saw hundreds of people arrested. That police crackdown, which started in October and was labeled "Operation Restore Roosevelt," saw hundreds of city and state troopers descend on the neighborhood. The NYPD told Fox News Digital that the clampdown has resulted in a 37% year-to-date drop in crime in our Roosevelt Avenue zone with more than 1,800 arrests and more than 15,000 summonses. Residents and local activists heaped praise on New York City Mayor Eric Adams after he spearheaded the aggressive 90-day police blitz. But locals say the blitz was short-lived and bars have been turned into makeshift brothels where a dance can easily be negotiated into sex in dingy rooms downstairs. Many of the sex workers are migrants, the leaders said. "The NYPD's Operation Restore Roosevelt did lead to arrests, but our street sources say the gangs replaced their foot soldiers within days," said the advocates, who include former Democrat state Senator Hiram Monserrate. "The money never stopped moving, the dance floors stayed open, and the prostitutes came back in full force. This isn't just a Queens problem, it's a blueprint for how gangs, cartels, and traffickers can take over a community in plain sight." They said that the gangs have turned the two-mile seedy strip into a "well-oiled criminal machine" using Roosevelt Avenue as its marketplace. "Roosevelt Avenue doesn't just have a gang problem. It has become gangland." The NYPD did not confirm the locals' claims about gangs operating in the area. Monserrate and the two groups — Restore Roosevelt Ave. and Neighbors of the American Triangle — called on Patel to investigate the "ever-worsening situation" they face. They write that the 18th Street gang have tagged their gang insignia around the area marking their territory. Monserrate said that the gangs are involved in all sorts of serious crimes, including human and drug trafficking, illegal gun sales, identity theft and distributing fake Green Cards, as well as violent crimes. His sources have identified at least 20 brothels in the area, some of which operate near schools. He said that crime in general is still plaguing the area. Earlier this week, a man was fatally stabbed when he tried to stop a violent thief from stealing his bike steps from a local subway station, police said. Monserrate shared a video with Fox News Digital with what he said were 23 alleged sex workers on one block. In September, Fox News Digital cameras recorded a line of no less than 19 alleged sex workers on one block along Roosevelt Avenue with at least seven more on the next block. One woman was witnessed soliciting sex for $60. Cortez has yet to respond to multiple Fox News Digital requests for comment regarding the situation along Roosevelt Avenue. She is scheduled to hold a town hall in the neighborhood on Saturday. Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., whose district also includes the neighborhood, told Fox News Digital that she is closely engaged with the NYPD's ongoing efforts to improve public safety and quality of life in the area. "I have confidence in the NYPD's commitment and capability to address these challenges, and I commend their sustained presence and work in the community," Meng said. "As the top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee responsible for funding for law enforcement agencies such as the NYPD and FBI, I will continue to advocate for the resources they need to protect residents in Queens."
