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Greenwich Village isn’t so freewheelin’ anymore.The bohemian Mecca made famous for its anything-goes attitude, counterculture musical scene and clashes with police is begging for law enforcement, a shocking new survey found.The Sixth Precinct Community Council polled 600 neighborhood residents and found 487 of them — 83% — want more cops on the streets.And 74% of Villagers said the Empire State needed stronger prosecution for drug dealing, while 80% thought New York needed stricter bail laws, according to the first-of-its-kind survey, conducted in February and March.“The village is frequently criticized for being liberal — but clearly the numbers here indicate we’re not happy,” said precinct council member Steve Zammarchi.No place is more emblematic of the decline than Washington Square Park – where Bob Dylan used to sing songs about social injustice.Despite falling citywide crime, the green space continues to be overrun by junkies and dealers — and repeat offenders are on a loop – arrested, released and back by lunchtime, neighbors said.“Enough is enough,” said Village-raised Trevor Sumner, president of the Washington Square Association.
“Liberalism is being challenged and people are realizing that our attempts to honor some ideals are leading to worst outcomes.”Sumner says he would have described himself as “quite liberal” up until two years ago, but his personal views shifted when conditions in the park took a nosedive after the pandemic.But it’s not just in the park.The Sixth Precinct routinely posts on X about nabbing drug dealers plying their trade in broad daylight on Sixth Avenue — something that would have been unimaginable only a few years back.“It’s very hard for me to unsee the realities of the outcomes on the streets.
It’s shifted how almost everyone I know who’s active in the community is thinking about voting,” he said, blaming Albany’s bail reform and discovery changes for the unending cycle of lawl...