New York, NY – The New York City Police Department (NYPD) reported Tuesday, April 28 that they kicked over 100 homeless people off of the subways in just one day. The police commissioner claims this new crackdown is about “rules violations” and keeping the subways clean in light of COVID-19. When discussing the large numbers of homeless people sleeping on the subways in his daily news briefing, Governor Cuomo said: “That is disgusting what is happening on those subway cars. It’s disrespectful to the essential workers.”

New York, NY – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced last week that he has increased the maximum fines for not adhering to social distancing orders. Previously $500, the maximum fines suddenly jumped to $1000. The NYPD has also started arresting people for not social distancing, which New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio claims “is about educating people, helping them understanding the new reality.”

New York, NY – For working New Yorkers, taking the subway is an essential part of their day-to-day life. Having a car in New York is incredibly difficult and expensive, which means unless you are rich enough to take a cab to work every day, the subway is basically the only viable option. So for the many New Yorkers with working-class jobs that do not allow them to show up late without risk of getting fired, it is very important that the subway runs smoothly and remains affordable.