The bustling Queens street, a part of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's district, has become a hub for prostitution, illegal vendors, and crime, leaving residents and business owners in a state of disarray.
More than two dozen prostitutes openly solicit sex along a busy street in Queens, while scantily clad migrant vendors overrun the sidewalks, creating an environment resembling the red-light districts of Bangkok. This neighborhood, once a thriving commercial strip, has descended into a breeding ground for lawlessness and despair.
The thriving vice trade has brought with it its dark companions: pimps, illegal vendors, and crime. Business owners, threatened by pimps and threatened with closure, are fleeing the area, leaving only the most desperate and the most illicit.
Third World Chaos in Queens: Prostitution, Vendors, and Lawlessness Overrun AOC's District
Residents, including students on their way to school, are routinely exposed to the brazen solicitation of sex and the general seediness that pervades the atmosphere. The NYPD, despite a raid on a brothel on Roosevelt Avenue, seems to turn a blind eye to the ongoing prostitution, raising questions about corruption and protection rackets.
The situation has become so dire that the area has earned the moniker "Third World" due to the proliferation of illegal vendors, trash-filled streets, and open defecation by birds on the sidewalks. Residents complain of rampant shoplifting and pick-pocketing, further contributing to the sense of lawlessness.
Third World Chaos in Queens: Prostitution, Vendors, and Lawlessness Overrun AOC's District
A local activist, Ramses Frías, has emerged as a vocal critic of the deterioration of his neighborhood, blaming it on the authorities' neglect and the influx of prostitution from Flushing. Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, echoes this sentiment, accusing the police and Mayor Eric Adams of failing to address the problem.
In January, the NYPD raided six alleged prostitution establishments, but the lack of arrests and the apparent lack of follow-up action have left residents skeptical about the effectiveness of these raids. Sliwa dismisses them as "show raids," while the NYPD maintains that the operation was intended only to serve closure orders.
Third World Chaos in Queens: Prostitution, Vendors, and Lawlessness Overrun AOC's District
The Queens District Attorney's Office claims to be working to combat prostitution and crime in the area, although residents doubt its effectiveness. As for Ocasio-Cortez, she has not been seen in the neighborhood since rallying against the city's crackdown on illegal vendors in August 2023.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos, while condemning the prostitution, blames the situation on the influx of migrants and the federal government's failure to provide work permits. Councilmember Francisco Moya, who has called for stricter enforcement against illegal vendors and brothels, accuses other elected officials of undermining his efforts by demanding a halt to enforcement.
Third World Chaos in Queens: Prostitution, Vendors, and Lawlessness Overrun AOC's District
Despite the efforts of a few dedicated individuals, the situation in Queens continues to deteriorate, leaving residents and business owners in a state of despair and abandonment. The once-vibrant community has become a symbol of the decline and lawlessness that is spreading throughout the city.
