NYPD increases presence at Manhattan park after reports of lewd behavior near children's soccer field

The NYPD said Sunday it will dispatch additional officers to Gansevoort Peninsula park in Manhattan's Meatpacking District, including Quality-of-Life teams and patrol units, following reports of lewd and disruptive behavior at the park. The department's statement said: "The NYPD has an increased presence at the location with both Quality-of-Life teams and patrol units responding." Community Affairs officers have also been directed to connect with individuals at the location and offer services if appropriate, the department said.

The move comes after the New York Post published an investigation detailing a series of incidents at the park, which opened in 2023 at a cost of $73 million and spans 5.5 acres. The park includes sports fields, benches, and a Hudson River boardwalk, and is situated in a neighborhood that is home to celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Ben Stiller, and Jennifer Lawrence. The Post's reporting described a "mob of vagrants" engaging in behavior including sex in broad daylight, burning a park bench, and taunting young girls with a mask and vulgar gestures. The incidents were said to have occurred near a soccer field where children as young as five were practicing.

During one recent morning visit, a Post reporter observed a man wearing a mask with a penis-shaped nose and a Groucho Marx-style mask, who yelled and removed his shirt in front of children. The man's mask also included a contraption resembling a middle finger with the words "sex," "f--k you," and "Mr. Anger" written on it. The man reportedly shouted, "Everyone wants to party, but on one wants to pay for party!"

According to The Post, park-users said they have made 311 calls to complain about the behavior. However, an NYPD representative said Sunday that "there are no reports or calls on file with the information provided" by the outlet. The NYPD told The Post it had not responded to incidents at the location this year and that no 311 complaints had been filed.

Parents and coaches describe ongoing concerns

The Staten Island Advance reported separately on similar concerns, focusing on the perspective of parents and coaches who use the park's soccer field. Those reports describe a Wednesday morning incident in which a masked man stood within 20 feet of children practicing, yelled, and removed his shirt, revealing tattoos.

Jason Fernández, whose daughter practices with the Gotham Girls Football Club at the field, said the masked man waved at the girls during practice. "I came back because he gave me a weird feeling," Fernández told the Advance. He also pointed to burn marks on benches that he said were caused by fires set while children were practicing.

Dog walker Geronimo Silva said he saw two people engaging in sexual activity on a park bench one afternoon. "The girl was on the top of the guy. It was unbelievable, like 4 p.m.," Silva said. "This city is becoming worse."

Saad Afif, who owns Manhattan Football Training and coaches at the field, said he has intervened in similar situations multiple times. "Gansevoort is the worst one because you get crazy homeless people around the field," Afif said. "Here it's out in the open and you can kind of just walk up ... a few times I had to step in and tell people to either go away or tell security."

A Parks Department worker told both outlets: "There's a lot of things the kids see that they shouldn't be seeing." The worker added that staff handle such situations even though the Department of Homeless Services and NYPD are responsible for addressing homelessness and public safety issues.

A food kiosk worker told the Advance that aggressive individuals asking for free food made threats, saying "I got something in my bag" or "I'm gonna f--- you up" about twice a week.

Parents also said that encampments were removed twice during the summer of 2025. One parent, whose daughter plays for Gotham Girls Football Club, said the homeless leave when the parks people come and return after 10 minutes.

City agencies respond

The Department of Homeless Services told the Staten Island Advance that the park was "not a known hotspot" and that it would monitor the location and offer shelter and services to any vulnerable individuals.

The NYPD's Sunday statement did not reference the specific incidents described by The Post, but the department said it is increasing its presence. The response comes amid a broader debate about how the city handles homelessness and public behavior in public spaces.

Neither the New York Post nor the Staten Island Advance reported any arrests or formal charges related to the incidents. The situation highlights tensions between public safety concerns, the rights of homeless individuals, and the challenges of managing a popular public park.