Tonight, we spent hours outside the 30th Street Men's Shelter, where the majority of people who "agree" to come to shelter from the subways are being transported.
This is Rick. Like countless others we spoke to, he left within minutes, and understandably so.
THREAD 🧵
This is Rick. Like countless others we spoke to, he left within minutes, and understandably so.
THREAD 🧵
30th Street is arguably the most dangerous shelter the city could be bringing people to directly from the subways. It's the city's largest shelter and bedrooms are dorm-style.
It's no wonder so many people refused to go inside or left within an hour.
thecity.nyc/2020/03/little…
It's no wonder so many people refused to go inside or left within an hour.
thecity.nyc/2020/03/little…
Over the course of two hours, we saw *dozens* of vans transporting multiple people from the subways where NYPD removed them.
They were dropped outside 30th Street.
It's very likely @NYCMayor counts all those dropped off as "placed in shelters" regardless of whether they stayed.
They were dropped outside 30th Street.
It's very likely @NYCMayor counts all those dropped off as "placed in shelters" regardless of whether they stayed.
These gentlemen for example, who did not want to speak on camera, were forcibly removed from the subways. They came to 30th Street, but didn't even go inside. They told us they would head to Port Authority to seek warmth, which they felt would be safer than 30th Street.
Another man felt he wasn't told the truth upon being brought to 30th Street. "They didn't tell me I was going here!"
He swore in frustration as he scurried across the street, away from the shelter, and into the elements.
He swore in frustration as he scurried across the street, away from the shelter, and into the elements.
Bringing people to 30th Street defies recommendations made by over 500 frontline health care professionals in a letter to @NYCMayor.
"New clients coming into shelter should also be placed directly into private rooms, without first spending time in congregate settings..."
"New clients coming into shelter should also be placed directly into private rooms, without first spending time in congregate settings..."
The night was chaotic. In one of the most horrifying moments, a man was violently yelled at to "get out" of the van and go into the shelter. No one deescalated the situation. The inhumanity was shocking and appalling.
As this was happening, across the street, a man clearly struggling and in need of serious medical attention was told "get your ass up" by NYPD's Homeless Outreach Unit.
At one point, a school bus with NINE people arrived at the shelter. Slowly but surely, they left the bus and walked towards the shelter. With so many CitiCare vans lined outside the shelter, we could not see how many of the nine individuals went inside.
Note: We thought this was especially interesting given that @NYCDHS used this as an argument against legislation to move people into hotels:
"You can't just put twenty people on a bus and transfer them to a hotel. Our moves rely on utilizing social distancing."
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"You can't just put twenty people on a bus and transfer them to a hotel. Our moves rely on utilizing social distancing."
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What we witnessed tonight was horrifying, but sadly is only a small look at the cruelty brought upon homeless NYers by @NYCMayor.
As he tries to sell the success of closing down the subways, we must be vigilant.
Do not buy his spin without listening to those directly impacted.
As he tries to sell the success of closing down the subways, we must be vigilant.
Do not buy his spin without listening to those directly impacted.
What we need more than anything else is single private hotel rooms for all New Yorkers sleeping on the streets and subways. Removing people from the subways and bringing them to the largest dorm-style shelter in New York City is NOT a solution.
If anything, it's more dangerous.
If anything, it's more dangerous.
It's certainly dangerous for the HUNDREDS of people who are understandably refusing to go to a shelter for fears of #COVID19. They are being removed from the subways by NYPD and without the offer a private room, they are being sent out into the streets.
Tomorrow, it will rain.
Tomorrow, it will rain.
If you are a member of the media, here are some questions to ask @NYCDHS:
- How many people who came into shelter ended up spending the night there? 2 nights? 3 nights? How many left?
- Which shelters were people brought to? What percentage were dorm-style with over 100 people?
- How many people who came into shelter ended up spending the night there? 2 nights? 3 nights? How many left?
- Which shelters were people brought to? What percentage were dorm-style with over 100 people?
- @NYCMayor said half of all people engaged agreed to come into a shelter. How do you define "engagement"? Were all homeless New Yorkers removed from the subways engaged? If not, how many were not engaged?
- It's going to rain tonight. What are people who do not feel safe going to the shelters supposed to do? How will the city help people who become drenched in their only pair of clothes because they were removed from the subways?
If you are a worker who is close to the issue or a homeless New Yorker who has been through this atrocity, please email as humandotnyc@protonmail.com. We will not share anything you tell us without your permission.
@NYCMayor, shame on you. You are no progressive and you are no ally of the most vulnerable New Yorkers.
We will never forget this.
/end
We will never forget this.
/end
