Homeless 'Clean Up' Tweet By NYPD Sparks Outrage

WEST VILLAGE, NY — The NYPD sparked outrage by tweeting a photo of individuals sleeping on a sidewalk outside of New York University buildings on Tuesday. The NYPD Sixth Precinct's included a message saying: "Clean up performed today on Washington Place."

"Great job by all who participated !" the precinct tweeted, adding additional images of cardboard remnants being swept and the sidewalk hosed down.

Twitter users slammed the precinct for the tweet.

"But what happened to those people?" tweeted Twitter user @lexieeWABO. "Were they directed to a shelter, programs, a place they can stay without being kicked out? Place they can shower? Given donations? Offered a cup of coffee or meal? I won't hold my breath."

Hours later, the precinct tweeted an apology and attempted to clarify: "Sorry for the confusion. The clean up was done on the sidewalk not on the individuals. First picture is from the morning [and] the clean up was done in the afternoon once everyone had left the location. We always offer support and services to all."

"We aim to make the west village (sic) safer for everyone, including the more vulnerable residents," the Sixth said in a second tweet. "Unfortunately we have had chronic problems in this location that affected people who live and work in our community."

Police later told Patch the individuals declined assistance from the officers and no individuals were arrested, but did not respond to multiple follow-ups asking what services were offered nor if individuals were forced to leave the area.

Student activists at NYU were also outraged. One activist, Aree Worawongwasu, told NYU Local, "The main issue that should be highlighted is not the tweet itself but the class violence and displacement that has occurred."

Another student, Alejandro Villa Vásquez, penned an op-ed in the university's newspaper Washington Square News, writing: "The tweet was exploitative and intended to give the impression that the police were actually serving the community, at the expense of citizens actually in need of help."

"This spot is especially hospitable in comparison to other street corners because warm air rises through the gates below," Vásquez wrote, referencing heated vents in the sidewalks near NYU's buildings.

Sorry for the confusion. The clean up was done on the sidewalk not on the individuals. First picture is from the morning the clean up was done in the afternoon once everyone had left the location. We always offer support and services to all.
— NYPD 6th Precinct (@NYPD6Pct) February 7, 2019

Police did not respond to questions about whether they were called to the NYU building, Silver Center for Arts and Science.

NYU spokesperson John Beckman said, "The police were not there as a result of outreach from NYU." The commanding officer of the Sixth was on routine travels and "observed that conditions had deteriorated to a problematic and unsanitary level in an area where the homeless are often found near NYU buildings," Beckman said.

NYU cleaning personnel cleaned the cardboard remnants and hosed down the area, according to Beckman.

"When NYU cleaning personnel got there, there were no homeless individuals present at the location," Beckman said. "Our cleaning personnel addressed the unsanitary conditions on the street, as they would have done in any case — our staff works hard to keep the sidewalks around our facilities clean, clear of snow, etc."

Police encouraged West Villagers to attend their "Build the Block" meetings, a program aimed to improve relations between community members and the police.

Photo via @DoseOfThunder, used with permission.