Sunday’s caught-on-video attack in Los Angeles on actor Ian Ziering, 59, by a gang of hoodlums on mini-bikes isn’t an isolated or rare assault—but the latest example of an increasingly typical act of lawlessness that has gripped many of America’s largest cities.
The brazen assault on the “Beverly Hills, 90210” alum took place in broad daylight on New Year’s Eve—and in the middle of heavily trafficked Hollywood Blvd., according to the actor.
“I am relieved to report that my daughter and I are both completely unscathed, but the incident has left me deeply concerned about the growing boldness of such groups who disrupt public safety and peace,” he added.
The concerns of Mr. Ziering, who resides in Los Angeles, are increasingly being shared by residents of big cities across the nation.
In New York City, the harassment of commuters from roving gangs of youths on motorcycles or mini-bikes has become commonplace, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) source told The Epoch Times.
“We are talking about packs of these young people riding often unlicensed vehicles, weaving dangerously in-between traffic, damaging property, assaulting people, and completely terrorizing the public,” said the Manhattan-based officer. “People want to cast blame on us, but the reality is there is very little we can do as far as apprehending these types and to say that is a problem is an understatement.”
“We are witnessing nothing short of a complete breakdown of societal norms and, honestly, on a very human level this is difficult to watch,” the source added.
There is a growing fear that law and order has given way to lawlessness and chaos—and increasingly, that fear is proving warranted as for several years, crime in major American cities has remained at crisis levels.
The surge in thefts, harassment, and violent crimes experienced in cities nationwide during much of 2020 and 2021 had been expected by many experts to be a temporary blip—the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
However, nearly two years after officials declared an end to the COVID-19 emergency and officers involved in Mr. Floyd’s death were convicted and sentenced, lawlessness continues to persist at a high level.
In Chicago, crime has also been on the rise despite having already achieved record highs. In 2023, 11,051 robberies were reported, up from 8,982 in 2022, according to a Chicago Police Department year-end review. Vehicle thefts increased 37 percent, from 21,370 in 2022 to 29,287 in 2023. The city also saw increases in both sexual assaults and aggravated battery.
In New York City, crime continues to climb with the number of assaults, cases of grand larceny, and stabbings and slashings all higher than 2022.
“What we are experiencing in terms of the crime in New York City is absolute insanity and it could be easily stopped,” said Mr. Kerik. “The current mayor worked for me. He was under my command as we took a city that had the highest murder rate in the country and transformed it into the safest biggest city in America, so he knows exactly what we did to reduce crime and he’s simply choosing not to do it.”
Mr. Kerik said that America’s big cities can still be saved, but only if political leaders can find the courage to change policy.
“They aren’t concerned with security and safety, they are concerned about their next election,” said Mr. Kerik. “The irony of it is, if they don’t fix the crime, then this next election will be their last election.”
