The attack captured on video on Tuesday against innocent drivers in Manhattan by a gang of young bicycle hooligans was absolutely horrible – but very typical of the kind of chaos and illegality that took over the city.
The blatant attack happened not in the dead of night, but at 4:30 pm – and right in the middle of Manhattan, on Fifth Avenue and 21st Street.
While Max Torgovnick and his mother, who is in her 70s, were innocently driving, a band of more than a dozen young bikers suddenly launched themselves at their BMW, surrounded the car and crashed into it.
One broke a bicycle on top of it. Another jumped on the hood, then launched himself against the windshield until it partially gave way.
And that attack came shortly after the punks targeted another vehicle – a yellow taxi – that attacked him and later injured the driver by throwing a bicycle at him.
Police sources said on Wednesday that approximately 25 motorcyclists were involved, six of whom damaged Torgovnick’s car. A 15-year-old was arrested in connection with the attack on BMW.
“This was an animal attack in broad daylight,” angered a Manhattan cop. “It shows how badly the city has deteriorated and it is better for politicians to get their heads out of the sand and start dealing with these problems before there is nothing left.”
He’s right. Murders have increased by 40% this year and shootings have doubled. Homelessness, vandalism and mental illness have become common on the streets. Now you can’t even drive down the street in the middle of the day without wondering if it’s next.
There is growing fear that the city is losing control – and more and more, that fear is proving justified.