On July 27th, Mayor Eric Adams held a re-election campaign rally at the intersection of 8th Avenue and 65th Street in Brooklyn, which was the final stop of his outreach to the Chinese community. However, the atmosphere turned tense as protests erupted with more protesters present than supporters. The protesters mainly consisted of residents from U Avenue and 8th Avenue opposed to the establishment of a homeless shelter. Both sides engaged in heated exchanges across the street, shouting slogans in opposition.
Supporters cheered, “Four more years! Everyone loves you!” while protesters responded, “No more years! No homeless shelters! It’s shameful!”
Despite the apparent standoff at the scene, the demands of supporters and protesters did not directly conflict but rather focused on different issues with differing perspectives. Supporters, largely from the Manhattan expatriate community, believed that Adams has strengthened public safety and has tangible accomplishments during his tenure. They criticized far-left policies as empty promises and unsustainable, expressing concerns about the emergence of Zohran Mamdani, a far-left mayoral candidate from the Democratic Party, and saw Adams as the most viable candidate to counter the far-left.
President of the American Overseas Chinese Association, Madison, pointed out that during Adams’ three and a half years in office, the crime rate in New York City has gradually decreased, which is one of his most prominent achievements. He questioned where the funding for Mamdani’s proposed policies such as free public transportation and low-cost supermarkets would come from, warning that Mamdani’s policies could drive away wealthy individuals and businesses from New York, thereby impacting the overall economy.
“We don’t want socialism, Muslim socialism, communism – it’s all fake. We want public safety and a peaceful living environment; we don’t want to be like the UK or San Francisco, engulfed in protests and chaos,” Madison added, highlighting Adams’ stance against reducing police forces and advocating for strengthening public safety by retaining police instead of replacing them with social workers, asserting that it is the correct direction.
President of the New York Taishan Association, Chen Yongjin, described Adams as a “friend of the Chinese community,” emphasizing the need for unity in supporting a friend who understands and respects Chinese values. The head of the Chinatown East Asian Association, Yu Jinshan, echoed this sentiment, portraying Adams as a “brother” willing to listen to the community’s voices and with a track record of pragmatic governance, providing concrete solutions rather than empty promises.
In a brief speech, Adams emphasized his years of service as the Brooklyn Borough President, stating his familiarity with the 8th Avenue community. He outlined past policies supporting the Chinese community, including assisting with small business issues, supporting specialized high school admissions, maintaining public safety, and combating hate crimes.
He said, “I am not just your mayor, I am your brother. We still have a lot of work to do together.”
Surrounded by nearly a hundred supporters, Adams, staging in front of a pink dragon dance performance, tried to block the view of more than 200 protesters across the street. He shouted across the street, “We know that behind every issue in NYC, there are multiple facets, and I must address these issues. I do not make empty promises; I provide solutions.”
Despite having loyal supporters within the Chinese community, Adams’ implementation of policies concerning homelessness and immigration in the South Brooklyn community has sparked strong backlash. Although many oppose far-left policies, they ultimately turned towards supporting the Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa instead of Adams.
New York State Assemblyman Cheng Yongjia, standing with the protest camp, stated that Adams has lost the people’s trust, currently ranking fourth in polls. “He has never directly responded to our demand to cancel the homeless shelter. Our community has lost confidence in him.”
State Senator Chen Xueli also criticized the placement of the homeless shelter in residential areas densely populated with homes, just steps away from subway stations, posing potential risks to residents, especially children and the elderly. He questioned why a warehouse with 2,200 beds was converted into an immigration detention center, yet a homeless shelter accommodating 150 homeless men was forcefully established in the residential area on Bensonhurst 86th Street. Chen bluntly stated, “Adams has turned the issue of homelessness into a lucrative business. It does not cost $165 million over four years to provide services for 150 homeless individuals.”
Former President of the Fujian Overseas Association, Zheng Xiugan, mentioned another longstanding community dispute. During Adams’ tenure as Brooklyn Borough President, his aide Zheng Qirong had solicited donations from the Chinese community to construct a traditional Chinese archway, with the community contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, the project stalled, and the whereabouts of the funds remain unclear. “Adams’ close friend, Zheng Qirong, at that time promised to establish a non-profit organization and specified the use of donations, but the money disappeared.”
He pointed out that areas heavily populated by Chinese communities such as Flushing, Chinatown, and 8th Avenue frequently become locations selected for homeless shelters, despite the extremely low proportion of homeless Chinese individuals in the population, indicating a surplus of shelters. Zheng remarked, “You call us your brothers? We protested for over a year, and you not only ignored us but also dispatched police from other areas to suppress protests on 86th Street and arrested the councilors and residents protecting the elders. Is this what you call brotherhood?”