"Last week, broke the news that the Amtrak Police Department - a federal police force that operates outside New York City's sanctuary city laws - had targeted a Penn Station bathroom in arrests for public lewdness. The bathroom was listed as a "hotspot" on Sniffies, a map-based digital platform for queer hookups. These enforcement efforts have led to over 200 arrests since June 1, an Amtrak representative confirmed to Out."
"harken back to the dark days of trapping gay men and other members of the community in public spaces like restrooms. ... Add to that toxic mix, ICE, and the Trump administration's efforts to round up undocumented New Yorkers. It was a rather frightening callback to a period that we thought had long passed in queer American history."
"Senator Hoylman and his colleagues, U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler, State Senator Liz Krueger, and Assembly Member Tony Simone, co-authored a letter Friday to Roger Harris, the president of Amtrak, demanding that the sting operations cease and that he meet with the elected officials to discuss a plan moving forward. Hoylman, a gay elected official living in NYC and the Democratic nominee in the race for Manhattan's borough president, confirmed to Out that Harris agreed to meet, and they are in the process of setting up that meeting."
Amtrak Police targeted a Penn Station bathroom identified as a cruising hotspot on Sniffies, conducting sting operations that resulted in over 200 arrests since June 1. Reports indicate at least 20 men have been transferred into ICE custody following the enforcement actions. State and federal elected officials co-authored a letter demanding Amtrak end the sting operations and meet to develop a plan. New York City council members also raised concerns in a separate letter. Police entrapment at cruising sites peaked during the McCarthy era when queer men were treated as national security threats.
Read at Out Magazine
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