Activists, NYPD clash on relocation of migrants to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal for second day

A standoff in Manhattan between migrants, activists and police took place Sunday night as the city tried to relocate asylum seekers into Brooklyn.

Jan 30, 2023, 12:22 PM

Updated 680 days ago

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Migrants are camping outside of the Watson Hotel where they were living for two months after being told they had less than two days to relocate. 
A standoff in Manhattan between migrants, activists and police took place Sunday night as the city tried to relocate asylum seekers into Brooklyn.
Police say they responded to a crowd of people in front of the Watson Hotel around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. A majority of the people present were migrants.
According to officials, the city tried to bus migrants to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal against their wishes. 
Activists and migrants have shown opposition with the relocation to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Some are worried about flooding issues while others are not convinced the city will be able to provide adequate housing.
Signs and barricades remain up outside of the Watson Hotel, where migrants have decided to camp out until they are either accepted back inside or given a better location to live. 
Brooklyn Cruise Terminal recently opened up for the influx of migrants, and those who have started living there describe the conditions as unlivable, citing issues such as no privacy, a lack of hot water, and a curfew that has forced some of the migrants who work late night jobs to leave their jobs. 
The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal was intended to house about 1,000 adult men offering the same services as the other four humanitarian relief centers across the city. This includes on-site medical, food and laundry services.
However, an official from the mayor's office dropped by the site Monday and told the migrants the hotel would be used for families instead of just men.
Earlier on Monday, the NYPD cleared the street outside of the Watson Hotel, only to have the migrants return to camp out. They say they will continue to take a stand until their voices are heard. 
Police say no arrests have been made in the ongoing standoff.