Eric Adams says "we will not be controlled by crises" in first speech as New York City mayor
New York City Mayor Eric Adams touted the city in his inaugural speech Saturday and said it would not be closed down amid skyrocketing COVID-19 cases. Noting that the past two years have been "continual crises," Adams said "this will be our New Year's resolution: We will not be controlled by crises."
Adams, who is originally from Jamaica, Queens, and now lives in Brooklyn, quoted former Mayor David Dinkins and called the city a "gorgeous mosaic." He also quoted former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, saying "New York in adversity towers above any other city in the world."
Adams acknowledged the rough times New York had faced during the pandemic, saying "the last two years have trapped our spirit and it is begging to be let out."
"We are a city of about 9 millions reams and we are about to wake up. I cannot wait to greet this new day with you," Adams said.
Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City just after midnight Saturday in Times Square the ball dropped. He used his family's Bible to take the oath of office in Times Square with members of his family by his side, CBS New York reports.
Adams took the subway to City Hall from Brooklyn on Saturday morning flanked by reporters but without a security detail. On the ride to Manhattan, he witnessed a street fight between teenagers from the subway platform, according to Spectrum News 1. Adams called 911, but when police arrived on the scene, they drove past the teens.
Adams, a former captain in the New York Police Department and Brooklyn borough president, told reporters it was a missed opportunities for police.
Adams was elected mayor in November, becoming just the second Black mayor in the city's history. He defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa for the position after prevailing in a crowded Democratic primary in June.
He now faces the challenge of grappling with the coronavirus pandemic in the city, which is seeing record case numbers fueled by the Omicron variant. Earlier in the the week, he laid out his COVID plan for the winter, hoping to keep businesses and schools open.
"This pandemic has not only impacted us physically, but emotionally, and I'm going to really encourage people in this city to just find that inner peace, no matter what we're going through. We have been through tragedies before. This is a resilient city and a resilient country and I want to bring that energy," Adams said after being sworn in.