Queens activists are claiming the city’s boldest open-air market for sex has gotten even worse since soft-on-crime socialist Zohran Mamdani became mayor in January — and they’re demanding he address the longtime human trafficking and prostitution problem along the Roosevelt Avenue corridor.
“The street activity is really off the charts,” ripped former state Sen. Hiram Monserrate, who was among two dozen community leaders rallying in Jackson Heights on Saturday along the notorious “Market of Sweethearts” strip that also stretches into Corona and other surrounding neighborhoods.
“We had some solution or some betterment of the quality of life and public safety under our prior administration [of ex-Mayor Eric Adams], where we had Operation Restore Roosevelt [a multi-agency law enforcement and quality-of-life initiative], when the governor sent state troopers here, but right now, they have abandoned Roosevelt Avenue, and the crime is all coming back.”
Monserrate, now a local Democratic district leader, and other activists rallied outside some of the dozens of known brothels along the seedy stretch. They called on both Mamdani — who was a passionate supporter of decriminalizing prostitution before being elected mayor — and Gov. Kathy Hochul to enforce prostitution and nuisance-abatement laws and crack down on rogue landlords who rent to pimps.
“We are tired of seeing these activities happen,” said Rosa Sanchez of the group Restore Roosevelt Avenue.
“We have had enough, and it’s not appropriate. We have families and children. [The prostitutes] are out here, 24 hours around the clock. It has gotten worse, and we are asking that Mayor Mamdani, with Kathy Hochul … to come down these streets. We don’t want this in our community. And we’re not going to accept it.”
Over the past few years The Post has exposed the seediness, crime, drug-peddling and illegal vending along the Roosevelt Avenue corridor.
During Saturday’s rally, activists gathered in front of an alleged brothel at 76-09 Roosevelt Avenue, rapidly ringing large bells and chanting “Shut it down!” and “Stop Prostitution!” before doing the same at similar locations along the corridor.
Other neighborhood residents told The Post the problem has indeed gotten worse this past year, including one woman who claimed she routinely sees female sex workers servicing men between parked cars.
Reps for Mamdani and Hochul did not return messages, and the NYPD could not immediately provide arrest data for the corridor when asked Saturday.
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