NYC Subways Face Surge in Violence Despite Heightened Patrols

Riding the NYC subway system these days. It's been a rough week, with five straight days of violence despite the presence of cops, the National Guard, and even the Guardian Angels. A scary incident where a man was set on fire on a Brooklyn subway train was just the start. Since then, at least five people have been stabbed or slashed, and one man was even pushed onto the tracks of a Manhattan subway train. City politicians are feeling the pressure. Councilwoman Joanna Ariola from Queens says that New Yorkers don't feel safe on the subways. She thinks the NYPD needs more freedom to do their job properly. Councilman Robert Holden from Queens agrees, saying that New Yorkers are tired of being "gaslit" by lawmakers who claim the subways are getting safer while crime rates rise.Governor Kathy Hochul has tried to help by sending over 1, 000 National Guard troops into the transit system, while Mayor Eric Adams added 1, 000 more NYPD cops. But the violence keeps happening. Just this week, an MTA worker was stabbed in the Bronx, and four other passengers were slashed at different stations. One man even survived being pushed onto the tracks in a terrifying incident. The statistics don't lie. In the past 28 days, there have been 48 felony assaults in the transit system, which is a 40% increase from the same period last year. The Guardian Angels are back on patrol, trying to help, but the violence continues to worry subway riders. Some people think the problem lies with a lack of common sense in government. Councilwoman Inna Vernikov from Brooklyn believes that until the powers that be understand and address the patterns behind these crimes, the violence won't stop. Others, like Councilman Joe Borelli from Staten Island, think that arresting and prosecuting criminals more effectively could make a real difference. The offices of Governor Hochul and City Hall have not yet responded to requests for comment.