NYPD descends in force to Washington Square Park but torrential rain sends revelers home 

Washington Square Park was uncharacteristically quiet Friday night as the torrential rain kept revelers at home after weeks of all-night raves, leaving dozens of cops standing aimlessly chatting around the New York City landmark.

NYPD officers descended in force on the iconic Manhattan park once again as July 4 celebrations got into swing across the Big Apple. 

But concerns the park would erupt in a huge after-dark rave failed to materialize as the city was struck by stormy weather at the end of a week of scorching heatwaves. 

Only a handful of people headed to the famous arch and fountain after dark, with police appearing to outnumber the partygoers who have been flocking to the park every night in recent months.   

Police were seen arresting just one woman and loading her into the back of a police cruiser, after she appeared to have broken through the police barricades. 

It was not clear why she was arrested with a request for information from the NYPD unreturned late Friday. 

The quiet night will likely come as some relief to the wealthy Greenwich Village residents living close to the park who have complained about the park’s new image as a party destination.   

The public park in the heart of the Big Apple has been a growing source of tension in recent weeks with residents and ravers coming to blows.

With bars and restaurants facing tight restrictions over the last year due to the pandemic, it increasingly transformed into a popular party destination.

Hundreds have been seen gathering for nightly raves in defiance of a midnight curfew, with people dancing and drinking into the early hours.

Impromptu boxing matches, complete with referees and time keepers, have also become a fixture. 

Residents have complained about the noise as well as increased drug use and violence in the park, claiming they are scared to walk around the area at night.

On Sunday night, during Pride celebrations, a 66-year-old hot dog seller was attacked by a woman in Washington Square Park who punched him in the head and threw hot sauce in his eyes.

Nader Hassaneen, an Egyptian immigrant and street vendor, told The New York Post the woman pulled an American flag from the cart and demanded he replace it with a rainbow Pride flag. 

The incident escalated and someone threw hot sauce in his eyes, before he was punched and pushed repeatedly. 

One person who filmed the scene said Hassaneen used a homophobic slur, but he denied that.  

Hassaneen and Abdelalim Abdelbaky, 28, who operates the cart, said it was not the first attack on him or his employees in the park. 

The same night, NYPD officers used pepper spray on Pride attendees after revelers reportedly got angry with how police responded to a break in the metal barricades surrounding the park. 

This came after an incident on June 18 where a woman was left bloodied and bruised after being trampled on by terrified crowds trying to flee a man armed with a large knife and a taser. 

The man, identified as Jason McDermott, was arrested at the scene.

This came one week after a chaotic Saturday night where two people were stabbed, a man beaten and mugged of his phone and a 77-year-old cook at a nearby diner attacked.    

Police have struggled to bring the park under control, implementing a 10pm weekend curfew from Memorial Day. 

However, this was short-lived, with the midnight closing time restored following clashes between police and partygoers on June 5.

A total of 23 people were arrested and eight cops injured that night. 

Ever since then, cops have taken a more hands-off approach to enforcing the curfew.

Last month, in an effort to tackle the simmering tensions and find solutions for both sides, a community meeting was held.  

Hundreds of locals joined the meeting at Lady of Pompeii Church to complain that the park ‘has become a drug den’ and a ‘free-for-all’. 

Several hundred turned up to air their grievances, with around 100 turned away from the meeting, but there appears to be little change since. 

The chaos in Washington Square Park comes as New York City is recording a surge in violent crime. 

Governor Andrew Cuomo said in May the crime wave was a ‘major problem’ and said unless the NYPD gets a handle on it soon, the city would become undesirable.    

‘New Yorkers don’t feel safe and they don’t feel safe because the crime rate is up. It’s not that they are being neurotic or overly sensitive – they are right,’ he said.