Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent remarks touting improved safety in New York City’s subway system have sparked significant backlash, coinciding with a series of violent incidents that challenge her assertions.
On December 22, 2024, Governor Hochul highlighted the deployment of National Guard troops and the installation of security cameras as measures that have led to a decrease in subway crime. She stated that crime is going down and ridership is increasing due to these initiatives.
In March, I took action to make our subways safer for the millions of people who take the trains each day.
Since deploying the @NationalGuardNY to support @NYPDnews and @MTA safety efforts and adding cameras to all subway cars, crime is going down, and ridership is going up. pic.twitter.com/T7uRxx9nIO
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) December 22, 2024
However, her comments came just hours after a tragic incident in which a woman was fatally set on fire while sleeping on an F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn. The suspect, a Guatemalan migrant, allegedly ignited the woman’s clothing, leading to her death. This horrific event was captured on video, showing the suspect watching as the victim burned.
In addition to this tragedy, there was a deadly stabbing on a 7 train in Queens during the same weekend, further undermining the governor’s claims of enhanced safety.
Critics, including lawmakers and public figures, have labeled Hochul’s statements as “tone-deaf” and out of touch with the current reality of subway safety. Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY) questioned the timing of Hochul’s remarks, while Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) criticized the governor for appearing to congratulate herself despite the violent incidents.
Governor Hochul later acknowledged the tragedy, noting the arrest of the suspect was facilitated by the newly installed security cameras. She defended the safety measures, emphasizing that the cameras played a role in identifying and apprehending the suspect.
Despite the governor’s initiatives, concerns about subway safety persist among commuters and officials, with some calling for more effective measures to address the ongoing violence in the transit system.