Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYPD Prepares For Possible Easter Night Gang Violence
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 23, 2011
Modified Apr 23, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
WABC 7
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 23, 2011
Modified Apr 23, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Tomorrow is Easter, which means the NYPD is getting ready for a different kind of tradition: The so-called gang initiation rites. Last year, there were multiple brawls, shootings and arrests in and near Penn Station and Times Square, which was enough violence for Mayor Bloomberg to call it "wilding". Now, the Post reports, "The NYPD and Midtown merchants are bracing for another Easter Sunday (or 'Gang Initiation Day') wilding session -- with extra patrols and boosted security ready to take on marauding gangs looking to terrorize Times Square and nearby businesses"
The police started noticing the Easter night violence back in 2003. Another attraction is apparently the NY Auto Show at the Javits Center, though the Auto Show spokesman said last year that the gangs didn't seem to be there. As for tomorrow, a police source told DNAinfo, "We've anticipated a large influx of kids again."
Police have metal barricades on the streets, but one Times Square restaurant manager spoke wistfully to the Post, "Easter used to be all about bunnies and chocolate."
Tagged
crime
easter
easter night violence
gang
gang initiation day
gang violence
midtown
Times Square
wilding
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .