The Guardian Angels are back on New York City’s subways, stepping in where police and politicians have seemingly failed to provide safety for commuters. Led by founder Curtis Sliwa, this volunteer group of red-beret-wearing citizens is ramping up its patrols, channeling the spirit of its origin in 1979 when the city’s subways were overrun with crime. After the horrifying incident involving a sleeping passenger last week, the need for their presence feels as urgent as ever.
The victim, an unidentified woman, was set on fire in an unprovoked attack while she slept on an F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. Authorities arrested Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, an illegal migrant from Guatemala, for the heinous act, but the broader issue of subway safety remains unaddressed.
Sliwa announced on Sunday that the Guardian Angels are bolstering their numbers and training to meet the current crisis head-on. “We went from 13 to 1,000 [members] back then within a period of a year,” he said, referring to the group’s rapid growth in the crime-ridden late 1970s and ’80s. “The need is here now once again. We’re going to step up.”
With 150 active members currently patrolling, the group is focusing on ensuring passenger safety and conducting wellness checks on homeless individuals and those suffering from emotional disturbances. Their work includes providing water, reporting issues to the NYPD, and maintaining a visible presence to deter crime.
The Guardian Angels last patrolled subway cars in 2020 during the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes linked to the pandemic. Now, they’re responding to growing concerns about unchecked violence, homelessness, and a lack of police presence. “The subways are out of control,” Sliwa said bluntly, lamenting what he sees as a return to the dangerous conditions that inspired the group’s founding.
The recent incident has reignited debates about public safety and accountability. Sliwa criticized the lack of police patrols and the apparent apathy of bystanders during the attack, saying, “You see something, you say something. You gotta do something.”
The Guardian Angels aim to restore a sense of security that city leadership has failed to deliver. While their presence is no substitute for comprehensive law enforcement, it’s a powerful reminder that ordinary citizens can take extraordinary action when the system falls short. For many New Yorkers, their return couldn’t have come soon enough.
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