City officials have cleared out homeless pavement dwellers from the area around the United Nations headquarters in preparation for the high-level General Assembly session starting Monday, keeping them out of view of the visiting leaders and raising the security level.
The dozens of homeless people, who live under tarps, cardboard boxes, umbrellas and construction sheds for most of the year along First Avenue, where the UN is located, and Second Avenue and the side streets in the area, were out by Sunday evening.
Clearing them away has been an annual exercise carried out by officials of a city facing a chronic housing crisis compounded by mental health issues that overwhelm the city's social services.
Many streets along hotels where about 150 presidents and prime ministers will be staying during the high-level week will also be cordoned off for security reasons but also spare the VVIPs a sight of the homeless problem in the world's financial and media capital.
While these removals are linked to the UN event, New York City also periodically demolishes settlements set up by the city's poor.
Having the massive task of protecting the host of world leaders, New York Police Department brings an area of about 40 hectare that includes the UN under a virtual lockdown every year in September during the high-level meeting.
During that time those going to the UN will pass a gauntlet of several checkposts manned by UN security, police and federal agents sporting an alphabet soup of agency insignias, before reaching their destination.
Residents of and workers in buildings in these areas will also have to go through cumbersome security.
Overhead, police helicopters will keep watch, and police and Coast Guard boats will watch the back of the UN from the East river.
The riverine precaution was introduced after a bazooka was fired at the UN by anti-communist Cubans from the other bank of the river while Che Guevera, a Fidel Castro lieutenant, was speaking at the General Assembly in 1964.
It failed to hit the building.
While the current sweep of the homeless has been carried out around the UN for security and cosmetic reasons, the city also periodically demolishes encampments set up by the poor.
Although the city is supposed to offer those displaced with proper housing, City Comptroller Brad Landler carried out an audit that showed only three of those displaced received the promised hearing.
"So, 99.9 per cent of the folks that were forcibly removed in those sweeps are still homeless," he told the National Public Radio network, a broadcaster that receives federal funding, in June.
According to reports, in 2022 more than 1,500 encampments, each containing several housing units, were demolished with police deployment.
The settlements -- referred to euphemistically as encampments -- are huts and tents set up in public or other vacant land or under bridges or overpasses by the poor.
Tripura CM Saha holds key meeting with BJP, IPFT and TMP leaders
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday held an "important" meeting between the leaders of ruling BJP and its two allies – Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) and discussed various political and developmental issue, sources said.
HM Amit Shah's meeting sends a clear message: Not a drop of water to Pakistan
A high-level meeting was held on Friday at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. The 45-minute meeting between the Home Minister and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil focused on exploring ways to halt the flow of water to Pakistan.
Tripura: TMP chief urges Centre to adopt 'stronger policy' against B'desh
Ruling BJP’s ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP) founder-chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma on Friday urged the Central government to adopt a stronger policy stance towards Bangladesh, accusing the neighbouring country of encouraging fundamentalist forces targeting Hindu minorities.
Pahalgam attack: More countries express solidarity with India, offer support in fight against terrorism
Ambassadors of Israel, Egypt, Argentina, and Nepal met External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on Friday, expressing solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism following the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam.
Tripura CM directs SPs and DMs to remain vigilant about Pakistani nationals
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday directed the Superintendents of Police (SPs) of all eight districts to regularly share necessary inputs with the Chief Minister’s Secretariat regarding the presence of any Pakistani nationals in the state, officials said.
US supports India's 'hunt' for those behind 'horrific Islamist terrorist attack' in Pahalgam, says Gabbard
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence (DNI), on Friday said that the United States supports India's "hunt" for the perpetrators of the "horrific Islamist terrorist attack" in Pahalgam that took place earlier this week.
Tehran stands ready to 'forge greater understanding' between India and Pakistan: Iran FM Araghchi
Citing its good relations with both India and Pakistan, Iran on Friday said that it stands ready to "forge greater understanding" between New Delhi and Islamabad following the Pahalgam terror attack, earlier this week.
PM Modi's action will act as deterrent against any fresh attempts to harm India: Tripura CM
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday denounced the Pahalgam terror attack, asserting his staunch belief that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decisive action will act as a strong deterrent against any future attempts by terrorists to harm India.