NYC's Washington Square Park, once a hot spot for 'Friends,' succumbs to urban decay

It was the setting for the introduction to the popular TV show "Friends," where the all-star cast was seen playing in the fountain in New York City's Washington Square Park after dark. But a lot has changed since then. Gone are the days when one could imagine a playful group of friends enjoying a late-night outing in the iconic urban oasis. New York City's once-beautiful Washington Square Park is succumbing to urban decay.

According to the latest available crime data from the New York Police Department's 6th Precinct, which includes Washington Square Park, rapes, murders and felony assaults are up 66.7%, 41.5% and 11.6% year-to-date, respectively. Burglaries and grand larceny are up 87.5% and 27.1%, respectively, within the past month. 

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In 2020, there were 95,593 total reports of one of the seven major felony offenses, with Precinct 6 accounting for 1,427 of those offenses. In Washington Square Park alone, there were four felony assault complaints and three grand larceny complaints between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2021. 

Data obtained by THE CITY reveals local residents in Washington Square Park used New York's 311 service to file more than 190 requests between April 1 and June 15, with complaints ranging from drug use and homelessness to the park's cleanliness.

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Following an emergency meeting with hundreds of concerned residents in attendance, the 6th Precinct stepped up its police presence and initiated a 10 p.m. curfew in June as part of an effort to reduce crime in the area. 

However, during a meeting last week, some residents criticized the police's effort as "racist."

"This is all about affluent, White residents thinking that the park is their backyard and siccing the cops on Black and Brown, poor artists," one speaker named Ash said, according to AM New York.

Critics of the move have pushed back against the effort with protests, resulting in clashes between park-goers and the NYPD. 

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But despite those critics of the 6th Precinct, others argue the city still isn't doing enough, including Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani who has launched a bid for governor.

Andrew Giuliani shared a video Sunday morning of a littered Washington Square Park after chaos over the weekend.

"It's a disaster, like a bomb went off in here," he said. "It's crazy and chaos, that's all it is…it's time for a change."

Representatives for the NYPD and Department of Homeless Services did not immediately return Fox News' requests for comment. 

July 27, 2021 at 12:02AM
Lucas Manfredi
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