Rally against Floyd Bennett Field migrant shelter held Sunday

September 9, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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FLOYD BENNETT FIELD — A RALLY WAS HELD IN BROOKLYN’S MARINE PARK TO PROTEST THE RENEWAL OF A LEASE FOR A 2,000-BED migrant shelter at Floyd Bennett Field. Locals, including elected officials, voiced concerns about the impact on the community, citing safety, economic strain and infrastructure issues. The protest came ahead of the Sept. 14 lease expiration, with demonstrators urging the city not to extend the agreement. A copy of the lease between the U.S. Department of the Interior/National Parks Service and the City of New York indicated that no automatic right of renewal exists. The community, including elected officials, including Republican State Assemblymember Jaime Williams, has expressed vehement opposition to the lease renewal. Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, also present, criticized the costs to taxpayers, highlighting the ongoing influx of asylum seekers since 2022.

The rally included over 30 people in a “caravan” according to the New York Post. The city insisted that it needs the park to house the continuing flow of asylum seekers into New York.

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