by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
CHINATOWN, June 24 – Two weeks ago, Inner City Press asked: How will the empty Federal jail in Lower Manhattan be used? NYC Mayor Eric Adams in 2023 floated the idea of using it to house migrants. Inner City Press asked Legal Aid about the idea, which they roundly criticized.
On June 12, NYC Comptroller candidate Justin Brannan campaigned in Chinatown's Confucius Plaza, two blocks from the still empty Metropolitan Correctional Center. He was asked about closing the Rikers Island jail and said he continues to favor the closure.
But, he said, the idea of reopening the MCC for state prisoners "makes a lot of sense," rather than devoting the now empty lot on Baxter Street to the so-called Chinatown Jailscraper.
While Mark Levine has yet to chime in on this one, he won the primary on June 24, despite Brannan's endorsements from Bernie Sanders and others. And what will Brannan do next? What will Brad Lander? Watch this site.
Brannan in Chinatown 6/12/25by Russell Werner Lee
The event moved on to other questions, and heckling by a Brooklyn constituent who seems to follow Brannan around (to his credit, Brannan seemed to largely accept this exercise of the First Amendment). Inner City Press was there until, afterward, Brannan began a foot-tour of Chinatown.... Now to where?
Watch this site
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