Platform barriers are a ridiculous dodge of an ‘answer’ to subway shovings

Taidgh Barron/NY Put up

Even after one other horrific subway-shoving demise, this time Michelle Go in Instances Sq., New York progressive pols flinch from confronting the true risk, particularly that the town lets harmful mentally in poor health individuals roam free.

As an alternative, they need the MTA to put in platform boundaries.

Each time such horrors strike, politicians rush to ship the message that they care, whereas avoiding the ideologically inconvenient apparent.

Thus Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and all 10 members of the borough’s Metropolis Council delegation urge MTA Chair Janno Lieber that elaborate, costly boundaries “be given the precedence they deserve, studied and funded for set up.”

Their letter claims that “density and crowding of subways . . . makes our stations extra weak.” No, that not it. Shovings took off throughout the pandemic, when the crowds have been gone.

Put up contributor Nicole Gelinas notes that of the town’s 16 subway murders because the onset of the pandemic, “solely three have been through forcing individuals onto tracks.” The true widespread consider subway assaults is the perps: critically mentally in poor health homeless.

Limitations get “amens” from the driving public, however they’re simple to cheer if you happen to don’t take into account the fee: This could run within the billions of dollars, and the MTA is principally broke. Truly dealing with as much as the true downside would value a fraction of that.

Of our 16 subway murders since Covid, “solely” three have been through forcing individuals onto tracks. Most have been random stabbings, and one Asian girl was pulled down the steps (in one other non hate crime). What ought to we do about these ones? https://t.co/ALQLGb2PUm

— Nicole Gelinas 🐝 (@nicolegelinas) January 23, 2022

We surprise the place have been Borough President Levine and his cohorts when the MTA known as on the de Blasio administration to “present further mental-health providers” to assist these dwelling underground?

An estimated 12,000 mentally in poor health homeless stroll the town, endangering innocents above in addition to beneath floor. Message to Levine and the remainder: Confront that grim reality, and admit that forcing them to get assist, and refusing to allow them to declare public areas, is the one needed and humane response, or admit that you simply don’t actually care in any respect.