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78-545: The Drag March takes place on Friday night as a kick-off to NYC Pride weekend. The event starts in Tompkins Square Park and ends in front of the Stonewall Inn ; it is purposefully non-corporate, punk , inclusive, and largely leaderless. During preparations for Stonewall 25 in 1994, NYC Pride organizers announced neither leathermen nor drag queens would be allowed in the official ceremonies. Having recently moved to

156-548: A key feature of the park, was one of the first targets of these renovations. Increasing gentrification in the East Village during the 1990s and 2000s, and enforcement of a park curfew and the eviction of homeless people have changed the character of Tompkins Square Park. As noted above, the park was closed and refurbished in 1991 and reopened in 1992. Today, with its playgrounds and basketball courts, dog run, ping pong table, handball courts, and built-in outdoor chess tables,

234-468: A rabbi was arrested for not obtaining a permit for the performance of Birkat Hachama , a Jewish ritual done once every 28 years. In the middle 19th century the "Square" included a large parade ground for drilling the New York National Guard . The modern layout of the park by Robert Moses in 1936 is said to be intended to divide and manage crowds that have gathered there in protest since

312-451: A riot erupted in the park when police attempted to clear the park of homeless people; 38 people were injured. Bystanders as well as homeless people and political activists got caught up in the police action that took place on the night of August 6 and the early morning of August 7, after a large number of police surrounded the park and charged at the hemmed-in crowd while other police ordered all pedestrians not to walk on streets neighboring

390-539: A "watch list" because their positivity rates were 1–3%. On October 6, Governor Andrew Cuomo introduced a "micro-cluster strategy". The new plan placed tighter restrictions in cluster areas with spikes in COVID-19 cases. The first areas to experience these new restrictions were parts of Brooklyn and Queens. Public schools were closed indefinitely on November 19 after the rolling seven-day average reached 3%. Despite calls from health experts to close indoor dining before it

468-402: A 62-year-old bus driver who was knocked unconscious on his route through East New York, Brooklyn , prompting officials to implement a $ 50 fine for riders who refused to wear a face mask. Sarah Feinberg says the fine is "a last resort" for people who refuse masks after they are offered. Jeffrey E. Harris , a member of the economics faculty at MIT , said service cuts "most likely accelerated

546-721: A car, being in the subways with someone who's potentially sick is a risk factor." New York City Council members Robert Holden and Eric Ulrich wrote to Mayor de Blasio asking him to relieve Barbot of her position. (She ultimately resigned on August 4.) On March 7, Cuomo declared a state of emergency in New York State after 89 cases had been confirmed in the state, 70 of them in Westchester County , 12 in New York City, and 7 elsewhere. On April 20, de Blasio announced that major events had been cancelled through June, including

624-437: A contest at the park featuring ramps and other skate obstacles. The multi-purpose courts' asphalt is known as T.F., as well as; Thompson’s, a misnomer . T.F. stands for “training facility”. Many acclaimed skateboarders, including Tyshawn Jones , Alex Olson , Yaje Popson, Jarrod Brandreth, Harold Hunter , Ted Barrow , Andy Kessler , Zered Bassett , Jake Johnson, and others, have skated Tompkins Square Park, using it as

702-775: A four-week period. On August 2, 2021, de Blasio recommended that vaccinated people wear masks in indoor settings, following CDC guidance and a continued uptick in positive COVID cases due to the Delta variant. The next day, it was announced that masks would be required indoors beginning August 16. On August 3, de Blasio announced that New York City would become the first in the United States to require proof of vaccination for workers and customers at all indoor dining establishments, gyms, entertainment venues, and performances. As of August 16, patrons would be expected to show either their vaccination cards or one of two authorized vaccine passport apps:

780-472: A large-scale renovation of the dilapidated park. It recently underwent a $ 450,000 renovation, much of which was funded by the New York City government and fund-raising by dog run patrons. It now includes a surface of crushed stone [sand], three swimming pools , a tree deck, and bath areas and hoses to spray off one's pet. For 32 years, the run hosted the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade to raise money for its own maintenance. The event claimed to be

858-557: A popular free outdoor French film festival which shows a critically acclaimed French films each Friday at sunset in city parks including Tompkins during June and July. The park contains a number of elm trees. One of these, known as the Hare Krishna Tree, for its association with the 1966 founding of the Krishna movement in the United States. The main playground, closest to Avenue A, features jungle gyms, rock climbing features, and

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936-522: A press conference on September 9, Cuomo announced New York City would be permitted to resume indoor dining services at 25 percent capacity on September 30. Social distancing has been recommended nationwide by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization since COVID-19 was first declared a national health emergency back in March 2020. It was mandated by Cuomo on March 20 as part of

1014-454: A public space, and compensated other owners with $ 62,000 in city funds to set aside a residential square; transforming the muddy site took another $ 22,000 before Tompkins Square was opened in 1834. Surrounded by a cast-iron fence the following year and planted with trees, the square was expected to have a prosperous and genteel future, which was undercut, however, by the Panic of 1837 that brought

1092-436: A temporary measure that would end when the pandemic improved sufficiently. On June 8, 2020, regular subway and bus service resumed with Phase 1 of the city's reopening, though the overnight subway closure remained in place. Although officials stated that only one percent of subway ridership occurred at night, there were complaints that essential workers were being unnecessarily inconvenienced. Internal MTA sources stated that it

1170-614: A training facility. In 2019, the Parks Department announced plans to cover over the asphalt lot in the park's northwest corner with synthetic turf by 2020. Skateboarders have protested this plan, with TF local Adam Zhu starting an online petition that garnered over 30,000 signatures. Zhu and others in the TF community planned a rally to support saving the historic skating grounds. Zhu worked with Steve Rodriguez , Carlina Rivera , Mitchell Silver , Supreme , and others to bring awareness to

1248-549: A video screen, at the park. The outdoor drag festival Wigstock , held in the park, later became part of the Howl Festival , which ran annually until 2013. The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival is a musical tribute to the famous former resident of Avenue B . In 2007, the New Village Music Festival was formed. This is a community music festival dedicated to celebrating New York's diverse music scene. In addition,

1326-518: A water fountain flush with the ground. There is a large sandbox, swing sets, and benches. There are two smaller playgrounds in the section of the park near 7th Street and Avenue B. The main playground reopened in August 2009 after a year-long renovation. Since the 1980s, the asphalt that covers the multi-purpose courts at Tompkins Square Park has served as a skatepark and training grounds for generations of skateboarders . In 1989, Shut Skateboards hosted

1404-569: Is a square granite kiosk with four stone columns supporting a canopy on whose sides the words "Faith," "Hope," "Charity," and "Temperance" are chiseled. Atop this canopy is the Greek goddess, Hebe , cupbearer to the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus . The First Avenue station is located around four blocks (0.4 miles) away from Tompkins Square Park. Notes Further reading COVID-19 pandemic in New York City The first case of

1482-537: The COVID-19 pandemic in New York City was confirmed on March 1, 2020, though later research showed that the novel coronavirus had been circulating in New York City since January, with cases of community transmission confirmed as early as February. By March 29, over 30,000 cases were confirmed, and New York City had become the worst-affected area in the United States . There were over 2,000 deaths by April 6; at that stage,

1560-551: The Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center on Wards Island . Further clashes occurred during May Day festivities of 1990, the culmination of a "Resist 2 Exist" Festival, which featured notable local acts and artists. 29 protesters were arrested and 25 charged with felony charges. From June 3, 1991 to July 25, 1992, the park was closed to the public for restoration, but also to keep out the homeless and in attempt to calm tensions. The Tompkins Square Park Bandshell,

1638-775: The Pride March and the Puerto Rican Day Parade . On August 5, de Blasio announced that COVID-19 checkpoints would be set up at major crossings and tunnels to help enforcement of a mandatory 14-day quarantine for travelers from areas of a high transmission rate per Cuomo's order, in coordination with the New York's Sheriff department. Failure to comply with this order would result in fines ranging from $ 2,000 to $ 10,000 with de Blasio adding, "We're not going to let our hard work slip away and will continue to do everything we can to keep New Yorkers safe and healthy." On March 14, before

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1716-587: The September 11, 2001 attacks . Over a thousand people, mainly German immigrant mothers and children, drowned in the East River that day. The area near the park, formerly known as Kleindeutschland , effectively dissolved in grief as shattered German families moved away. This disaster is also memorialized in James Joyce 's novel Ulysses . Indian Sadhu A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada came to sing and preach at

1794-471: The Stonewall Riots . Harmonie continued to organize the event for the next few years before moving out of state, New York City Radical Faeries stepped in with Hucklefaery, a Radical Faerie and Sister of Perpetual Indulgence, becoming involved in 1998. The Faeries added rituals and centeredness. Hucklefaery stated, “we are unifying our intentions: to honor our ancestors; to celebrate those of us present at

1872-469: The 1870s. That tradition was rekindled as the park became the nursery of demonstrations against the Vietnam War in the 1960s. By the 1980s, the park had become for many New Yorkers synonymous with the city's increased social problems. The park at that time was a high-crime area that contained encampments of homeless people, and it was a center for illegal drug dealing and heroin use. In August 1988,

1950-638: The March; and by being present, we are catalysts for a future yet unrealized.” Baker died in March 2017, and that year's march was dedicated to him. The 25th anniversary of the first Drag March was let loose June 28, 2019, coinciding with Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC , the largest international LGBTQ event in history. The following year the Drag March had a notably smaller scale due to the coronavirus pandemic . The protest march resumed its usual "loud music, lots of dancing, cheeky chants... and hundreds of amazing outfits" in 2021. The 2022 Drag March coincided with

2028-497: The Ottoman Empire in 1885–1886. The Temperance Fountain located near Avenue A, South of 9th Street Transverse, was erected in 1888, during the temperance movement, to give people free access to clean drinking water so they wouldn't have to drink alcohol for refreshment. This neo-classical fountain was a gift of the wealthy San Francisco dentist, businessman, and temperance crusader Henry D. Cogswell (1820–1900). The fountain

2106-488: The Phase 3 reopening were postponed due to the heightened risks posed by customers refusing to wear face masks and the uncertain role of air conditioning for COVID spread. Indoor dining in other states has resulted in superspreading at certain venues. To compensate in part, outdoor space was expanded by shutting down certain areas to create more space for outdoor dining. Plans to reopen museums in Phase 4 were also postponed. On

2184-428: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on December 11. New York administered the vaccine first to health-care workers, and then to nursing-home residents starting December 21. Public health researchers estimated that 44 percent of metro New York residents had been infected by December 31, 2020, based on a combination of virus testing, antibody testing, fatality counts, and population mobility data. On February 8, it

2262-534: The USNS Comfort . 2,700 New York State National Guard forces had also been deployed. On April 5, it was reported that a Malayan tiger at the already-closed Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID-19. This was the first known case of an animal in the US (or a tiger anywhere) being infected with the disease. The tiger had started showing symptoms on March 27, including a dry cough, wheezing, and weakened appetite. The source of

2340-456: The United States had been making demands of the government to help ease the strain of the depression. Organizations rejected offers of charity and instead had asked for public works programs that would provide jobs for the masses of unemployed. In 1877, 5,000 people fought with the National Guard when a crowd gathered at the park to hear Communist revolutionary speeches. On April 7, 1897,

2418-703: The authority to decide whether patrons must wear a face covering to enter. On May 17, 2021, Governor Cuomo announced the adoption of the new CDC guidelines on mask and social distancing for vaccinated people by May 19. On May 21, 2021, the NYC Health Department issued guidelines on face coverings for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Fully vaccinated people can forego wearing a mask during certain situations, especially outdoor activities. However, face coverings are still required when riding public transportation, in schools or health care facilities, in certain residential facilities, and in stores and restaurants at

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2496-507: The biggest dog Halloween party in the United States, boasting an annual attendance of more than 400 dogs in costume and 2,000 spectators. The parade was canceled indefinitely in 2023 because of logistical issues and permitting costs. The park contains three monuments. There is a monument in the north side of the park to the General Slocum boating disaster on June 15, 1904. This was the greatest single loss of life in New York City prior to

2574-461: The city as most agricultural properties were, seemed scarcely worth the expense of improving to its owners, the Stuyvesants, who inherited it from the 17th-century grant awarded to Peter Stuyvesant , and their Pell and Fish relatives. The City aldermen, to raise the tax base of the city, accepted a gift of land in 1829 from Peter Gerard Stuyvesant (1778–1847) with the understanding that it would remain

2652-584: The city from San Francisco, activist Gilbert Baker , creator of the rainbow Pride flag and member of the drag nun troupe Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence , helped to organize the alternate drag march, alongside Brian Griffin, aka Harmonie Moore Must Die. Busily creating a mile -long rainbow flag, the world's largest at the time, Baker came up with the idea, while Harmonie, working in Baker's shop, had grassroots organizational skills from work with ACT UP and Women's Health Action and Mobilization (WHAM), to organize

2730-529: The city had more confirmed coronavirus cases than China , the UK , or Iran . Bodies of the deceased were picked up from their homes by the US Army , National Guard , and Air National Guard . Starting March 16, New York City schools were closed. On March 20, the New York State governor's office issued an executive order closing "non-essential" businesses. The city's public transportation system remained open, but service

2808-445: The city held a "Hometown Heroes" ticker tape parade to honor healthcare professionals and essential workers for their work during the pandemic. The Uniformed Firefighters Association asked its members to boycott the event, however, saying that COVID-related risks to firefighters had not yet ended, citing the case of a union member who was in the ICU with COVID-related pneumonia at the time of

2886-610: The city was still in Phase 4 of reopening, which included museums, gardens, botanical gardens and gyms. Twenty ZIP Codes were identified as cluster areas. In response, the governor's office announced what they called "direct enforcement" of COVID-19 related restrictions in high-risk neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens. The mayor's office proposed closing businesses deemed "non-essential" and on-site dining. In-person schooling would have to shut down in nine ZIP Codes with 14-day positivity rates over 3%, while another eleven ZIP Codes were placed on

2964-528: The city's NYC COVID Safe app or the state's Excelsior app. Enforcement of the requirement began in September. On March 2, de Blasio tweeted that people should ignore the virus and "go on with your lives + get out on the town despite Coronavirus." At a press conference the next day, New York City Commissioner of Health Oxiris Barbot said, "We are encouraging New Yorkers to go about their everyday lives." On March 4, she said, "There's no indication that being in

3042-458: The city's confirmed COVID-19 deaths exceeded 45,000 and probable deaths exceeded 5,500. As of July 11, 2022 , New York City has administered 17,956,430 COVID-19 vaccine doses. The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in New York State on March 1, 2020, in a 39-year-old health care worker who had returned home to Manhattan from Iran on February 25. Genomic analyses suggest

3120-563: The city's expansion to a halt. Tompkins Square Park is named for Daniel D. Tompkins (1774–1825), Vice President of the United States under President James Monroe and the Governor of New York from 1807 until 1817. He had overseen some early drainage in the locality in connection with minor fortifications in the War of 1812 . The park was opened in 1850. In 1857, immigrants protesting unemployment and food shortages were attacked by police. In 1863

3198-469: The deadly Draft Riots occurred in the park. On January 13, 1874, the Tompkins Square Riot occurred in the park when police crushed a demonstration involving thousands of workers. The riot marked an unprecedented era of labor conflict and violence. The riot occurred in the midst of the Panic of 1873 , a depression that began in 1873 and lasted for several years. Workers movements throughout

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3276-547: The discretion of the owner, among other activities. Governor Andrew Cuomo introduced a micro-cluster strategy on October 6, 2020, placing new restrictions in areas that had spikes in COVID-19 cases. The first areas to experience these new restrictions were parts of Brooklyn and Queens. The cluster areas were further zoned with three levels of restrictions, which consisted of the following as of January 13, 2021: The original micro-cluster strategy applied additional restrictions until various lawsuits lifted them. Court rulings ended

3354-412: The disease had been introduced to New York as early as January, and that most cases were linked to Europe, rather than Asia. A Queens man contracted COVID-19 via community transmission in late February, falling ill on February 29. On March 3, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the first recorded case of person-to-person spread in New York State had been confirmed via a New Rochelle man who

3432-476: The drag march. Harmonie was also a member of Church Ladies for Choice , an activist drag troupe that countered the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue . The Church Ladies were inspired by the San Francisco-based Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (who didn't yet have a New York house) to collect and parody church pamphlets advertising the 1994 march with the slogan “Jesus Loves Drag,” they passed out

3510-555: The event highlights the importance of music and cultural arts programs throughout the city. There is also an annual event in early August commemorating the 1988 Police Riot that features neighborhood bands. The Food Not Bombs Manhattan chapter serves every Sunday in the park, rain or shine. Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation have

3588-496: The event. The park had become a symbol of the problems in the city, including homelessness—which had prompted the 1988 riot. Against that backdrop, Daniel Rakowitz shocked the neighborhood in 1989 when he murdered Monika Beerle, dismembered her, made a soup out of her body and served it to the homeless in the park. Rakowitz, called the Butcher of Tompkins Square, was found not guilty by reason of insanity and remains incarcerated at

3666-612: The following restrictions, summarized in the executive order in ten points: The governor said the provisions would be enforced. Businesses that violated the order faced fines and closure. Businesses that qualified as "essential businesses" under the stay-at-home order included but were not limited to: On April 6, the statewide PAUSE order was extended through April 29. The rate of increase had slowed from 10,000 new confirmed cases daily to 8,700. Intubation and ICU admission rates were slowing. Fines for violating social distancing protocols were increased from $ 500 to $ 1,000. On April 16,

3744-426: The government establish public works programs following the Panic of 1873 and the ensuing depression”. The first drag march had an estimated 10,000 participants spread over ten blocks. The start was marked by The Church Ladies singing " God Is a Lesbian ," another new tradition. During the march the participants chanted sometimes absurd organizing calls, and at one point the entire march sang “ Love Is All Around ”,

3822-458: The harshest restrictions for places of worship on November 26, for schools on December 1, for gyms and salons on December 11, and for restaurants and bars on January 13, 2021. New York City issued new commuter guidelines following the start of the outbreak, asking sick individuals to stay off public transit, and encouraging citizens to avoid densely packed buses, subways , and trains. Beginning March 25, service on buses, subways, and commuter rail

3900-498: The infection was believed to be an infected zookeeper who was not yet showing symptoms . On April 22, it was reported that four additional tigers and three lions had tested positive. By April 6, New York City had nearly 25% of the total deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. During May, active COVID-19 cases started to decline. After the George Floyd protests in New York City started in late May, public officials expressed concern about

3978-469: The materials in gay bars . Participants were directed to Tompkins Square Park as the starting point, chosen to honor the rebellious spirit of two previous riots that had taken place. The Tompkins Square Park riot of 1988 where city officials attempted to remove squatters and punks who had been living in the park, and the Tompkins Square Park riot of 1874 , over a hundred years prior where “thousands of unemployed New Yorkers demonstrated to demand that

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4056-459: The news that Roe v. Wade had been overturned . Satirical chants during the 2023 march drew criticism from conservatives. Tompkins Square Park Tompkins Square Park is a 10.5-acre (4.2 ha) public park in the Alphabet City portion of East Village , Manhattan , New York City . The square-shaped park, bounded on the north by East 10th Street , on the east by Avenue B , on

4134-507: The nineteenth anniversary ceremony of the September 11 attacks at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum , the reading of names of victims, usually by family members, was instead recorded in advance. Mask protocols and social distance measures were also in place. The Tunnels to Towers foundation held a simultaneous memorial nearby at Zuccotti Park where around 125 family members took part in reading names. In early October,

4212-414: The overflow of bodies of the deceased. On April 4, President Donald Trump announced that 1,000 additional federal medical soldiers would be deployed to New York City. It was reported that "Urban Area Medical Task Forces" made up of army reservists would be working in the New York City field hospitals and other parts of the country. As of April 4 , there were 1,200 medical military personnel serving on

4290-459: The parade. The Uniformed EMS Officers Union also asked its members not to attend the parade due to an ongoing dispute with the city over a lack of hazard pay during the pandemic. On July 23, 2021, the city's health department announced that daily average cases were 32% higher than the prior week and that the Delta variant had become the dominant COVID strain, accounting for 57% of citywide samples over

4368-532: The park attracts young families, students and seniors and tourists from all over the globe. Since the 1980s, the asphalt that covers the multi-purpose courts at Tompkins Square Park has served as a skatepark and training grounds for multiple generations of skateboarders . In 2024, the New York state government provided $ 6 million to replace Tompkins Square Park's elevated swimming pool with an enlarged swimming pool at ground level. The same year, NYC Parks temporarily installed an electronic basketball hoop, with

4446-524: The park in 1966, beginning the worldwide Hare Krishna movement. An elm tree in the park's southern plaza that he chanted beneath is now considered sacred to the Hare Krishna faith, as noted by a New York City Department of Parks and Recreation plaque. The southeast corner of the park contains a statue of Samuel S. Cox (1824–1889), a New York City politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio and New York, and as U.S. Minister to

4524-426: The park. Much of the violence was videotaped and clips were shown on local TV news reports (notably including one by a man who sat on his stoop across the street from the park and continued to film while a police officer beat him up), but ultimately, although at least one case went to trial, no police officers were found culpable. A punk rock festival has been held in the park in the years since, in commemoration of

4602-573: The possibility of "shelter in place" orders, Cuomo expressed doubts about whether the policy would be effective. The governor's office issued a statement that the shelter in place order could only be put in place by the governor's office; the Mayor's office agreed. On March 20, with 5,683 confirmed cases in NYC, the governor's office issued the PAUSE order that would go into effect on March 22 at 8 PM. The order put in place

4680-581: The region moved to Phase 2 with an expected 300,000 returning to work. Cuomo announced in late June that shopping malls would need to install virus-filtering air conditioning systems before reopening. On July 6, New York City entered Phase 3, excluding indoor dining. On July 20, the region entered Phase 4. On August 17, Cuomo announced gyms and fitness centers would be able to reopen starting August 24 and no later than September 2. Gyms would be required to limit their capacity to 33%, mandate mask wearing at all times, and maintain proper ventilation systems. In

4758-481: The south by East 7th Street, and on the west by Avenue A , is abutted by St. Marks Place to the west. The park opened in 1834 and is named for Daniel D. Tompkins , Vice President of the United States . Tompkins Square Park is located on land near the East River , that originally consisted of salt marsh and open tidal meadows, "Stuyvesant meadows", the largest such ecosystem on Manhattan island, but has since been filled in. The unimproved site, lightly taxed by

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4836-449: The spread of COVID-19 via the crowded events. On June 8, the city commenced the first phase of its reopening plan after meeting seven conditions of the stay-at-home order , which had been put in place three months earlier. On June 24, New York state, along with New Jersey and Connecticut , began requiring travelers to self-quarantine for 14 days if traveling from an area with high infection rates. Plans to open indoor dining during

4914-683: The statewide stay-at-home order (also known as the "New York State on PAUSE" executive order) was put in place, all New York Public Library branches in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island were temporarily closed. The Queens Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library were also closed. Theaters, concert venues, and nightclubs in NYC were shut down starting March 17, and restaurants were restricted to take-out and delivery only. Schools were closed from March 16 until at least April 20. Gyms were closed as well. On March 17, despite de Blasio's message to New Yorkers that they should be "prepared right now" for

4992-404: The statewide PAUSE order was extended through May 15, in coordination with the newly established " Eastern States Multi-state Council ". Governor Andrew Cuomo first announced a four-phase reopening plan for businesses on May 7. In order for the New York City region to begin reopening in Phase 1, it needed to meet these seven metrics: As of July 20, the four-phase reopening plan for New York City

5070-533: The statewide stay-at-home order. In early March, the New York Legislature granted Cuomo the power to temporarily suspend laws or create new laws to fight the pandemic. Face masks were first mandated by law via an executive order issued by Cuomo on April 15. The order states that face masks must be in all public places when social distancing is not possible, as when people are within six feet of others. On May 28, another executive order gave business owners

5148-480: The subway and that entire cars had been taken over by homeless people. Their request to shut down the subway was initially rejected by the governor's office and criticized by interim New York City Transit President Sarah Feinberg . City officials made efforts to place high-risk homeless persons in hotels serving as emergency shelters. Starting in May 2020, subway service and stations were closed overnight for cleaning, as

5226-597: The theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show opening sequence , a tradition that has continued. Organizers painted a banner stating “It’s just a drag march, you may applaud,” and Stonewall 25 tourists joined in from across the nation. At the Stonewall Inn the entire march joined to sing “ (Somewhere) Over the Rainbow ,” originally performed by gay icon Judy Garland in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz . Garland's death, and subsequent funeral held in New York City, occurred days before

5304-617: The time, the city's infection rate was five times higher than the rest of the country, and its cases were one-third of total confirmed US cases. The reasons for the high infection rate continue to be discussed. On March 27, Queens was the worst-affected borough by number of deaths, with over a third of total deaths. The USNS  Comfort hospital ship arrived in New York Harbor on March 30. Field hospitals were also set up in several places citywide . Refrigerator trucks were set up on city streets outside hospitals to accommodate

5382-497: The turfing controversy. On Friday September 6, 2019, one day before the rally was set to take place, the Parks Department announced that they intend to keep the asphalt, scrapping plans to put down synthetic turf. As a result of the skateboarding community organizing, the asphalt in the multi-purpose courts will not be disturbed. The Tompkins Square Dog Run was the first dog run in New York City. It opened in 1990 as part of

5460-530: Was announced that public middle schools would reopen for in-person learning on February 25. On March 8, it was announced that public high schools would reopen for in-person learning on March 22. On April 29, de Blasio announced that New York City would fully reopen on July 1. By June, the city's overall testing positivity rate had reached its lowest since the pandemic began. Cuomo reopened the entirety of New York state on June 15, two weeks ahead of Mayor Bill de Blasio's planned July 1 reopening. On July 7, 2021,

5538-660: Was detailed as follows: Some types of businesses, such as drive-in theaters, landscaping and gardening, and places of worship, were allowed to reopen regardless of the phase as part of a separate executive order. On May 14, Governor Cuomo issued an executive order to extend the PAUSE order through May 28 for New York City and other regions that did not meet the state's requirements to begin Phase 1 of reopening. A week later, it still had only met four of seven reopening conditions. Phase 1 of reopening in New York City began on June 8. In total, between 200,000 and 400,000 people were expected to return to work during Phase 1. On June 22,

5616-503: Was ordered to enforce public health measures and conduct emergency inspections at private schools. Spikes in infection rates were observed in some neighborhoods, prompting tighter restrictions in ZIP codes that were identified as "cluster" areas. Public schools were closed again to in-person learning in November, as the seven-day rolling average positivity rate continued to rise over 3%. Indoor dining

5694-513: Was reduced due to decreased ridership. Ridership had decreased by 92% on April 8, when 41 Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) workers had died. By April 22, 2020, COVID-19 had killed 83 agency employees; that number had increased to 131 by late August. The agency announced that their families would be eligible for $ 500,000 in death benefits. On April 20, four City Council members requested that subway service be temporarily suspended, saying that reduced service had resulted in crowding on

5772-626: Was substantially reduced. By April, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers were out of work, with lost tax revenues estimated to run into the billions of dollars. Low-income jobs in the retail, transportation, and restaurant sectors were especially affected. Over the course of the year, average residential and commercial rents both declined more than 10% in Manhattan, and vacancies surged. The first phase of reopening began in June 2020 with reduced occupancy ceilings. Schools reopened in September. The police department

5850-460: Was suspended again on December 14. COVID-19 vaccinations began at nursing homes on December 21. Public health researchers estimated that 44% of all metro New York residents had been infected by December 31. Face masks in public areas were mandated throughout New York State by an executive order on April 15, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the deadliest disasters by death toll in the history of New York City. As of August 19, 2023

5928-582: Was theoretically possible for the MTA to clean the system without closing it. In February 2021, the overnight closures were shortened to between 2 and 4 a.m. An app feature was added to the MYmta app in July 2020 to give riders real time information about the number of riders on buses. By September 2020, over 170 transit workers had reported being assaulted or harassed for asking passengers to wear face masks, including

6006-638: Was too late "to reverse the tide of new infections", the governor's office declined to impose restrictions until the statistical thresholds were met. The mayor's office took charge of closing schools only. Some epidemiologists and public health officials have criticized the decision to close schools, while allowing indoor dining to continue. The school-closure policy was partly reversed less than two weeks later, with de Blasio announcing that elementary schools would resume in-person learning from December 7. However, intermediate and high schools would remain closed through 2021. COVID-19 vaccinations were authorized by

6084-611: Was working at a law firm within One Grand Central Place in Midtown Manhattan . Six days later, on March 9, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that there were 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New York City . Cuomo announced a New Rochelle "containment area" on March 10, and the World Health Organization declared a global COVID-19 pandemic on March 11. The virus entered its exponential growth stage. At

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