During a speech Thursday, incoming New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a warning to rioters and looters.
At a Police Athletic League event at the Harvard Club, Adams warned “Not my city”. He was elected in November to succeed Bill de Blasio.
Adams said “We’re not going to surrender to those who are saying ‘We’re going to burn down New York'”.
Black Lives Matter leader Hawk Newsome threatened “fire”, “riots”, and “bloodshed” last month if Adams considered revamping the city’s anti-crime unit, which was disbanded during police protests last year.
“We’re not going to have a city where anarchists come from outside our city and go into a community such as Queens and destroy the community for their own selfish needs and desires,” he continued.
After the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse last month, multiple people were charged with property damage in Queens.
Though Adams ran as a Democrat, his position on city crime caught the attention of Republicans. Adams mentioned former NYPD Commissioner William Bratton, who helped reduce crime during his time in the city.
“Bill Bratton, your legend has not been completely closed,” Adams said.
“I burn candles and say prayers and Hail Marys that those other characters were not elected to be mayor right now,” he added. “People who were talking about disarming police, running out business people from our city”.