The Fear City pamphlets were distributed in New York City during June, 1975 in a propaganda campaign by the city's police and corrections officers. The pamphlets were subtitled "A Survival Guide for Visitors to the City of New York" and had a picture of a hooded skull on the cover. They warned of high rates of violent crime in the city and contained nine guidelines for "survival".[1][2][3][4]

Cover of the Fear City pamphlet

The pamphlets were distributed during the 1970s New York City financial crisis in response to municipal budget cuts announced in May 1975 that threatened over 50,000 city jobs and reduced salaries and pensions as the city drew near to bankruptcy. Police unions responded to the budget cuts by printing at least one million Fear City pamphlets and distributing them at airports, hotels, and bus terminals.

Close copies of the fliers were also distributed by police at Yale University in August 2023 at a time when they were renegotiating their contracts.

Events

New York City mayor Abe Beame announced layoffs of public employees including police and firefighters as part of a new budget that responded to the city's financial crisis. The first round of nearly 11,000 officers were slated for dismissal at the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, 1975.[3]

Beginning on the morning of June 13, police officers began distributing Fear City pamphlets at airports, hotels, and bus stations in New York City. That day, during a rally at City Hall, the president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association said that "The public is aware of the danger that massive layoffs of firemen and policemen will create. We have to alert everyone coming into New York to put pressure on them to cancel these insane layoffs."[3]

Mayor Beame and the city initially brought restraining orders against police distributing the pamphlets,[3] but these orders were quickly overturned when Justice Frederick E. Hammer ruled that the pamphlets were a protected form of free speech. The mayor said that distributing the pamphlets violated public trust and was a "new low in irresponsibility."[1]

2023 Yale University reprise

In August 2023, the Yale Police Benevolent Association, which represents campus police at Yale University distributed fliers that were a close copy of the 1975 Fear City pamphlets to new students arriving on campus. The 2023 Fear City pamphlets warned students that crime in the local city of New Haven, Connecticut was "shockingly high" and that students should avoid the city, especially at night. They also said that "murders have doubled, burglaries are up 33 percent and motor vehicle thefts are up 56 percent," for 2023.[5]

The mayor of New Haven said the statistics in the leaflet were accurate, but that violent crime had decreased 29% over the past three years, and the information didn't present a complete picture.[5] School and city officials criticized the union for distributing the leaflets and said it was a scare tactic to get better terms during an ongoing contract negotiation. The police union said the pamphlets were intended to keep students safe and weren't related to the contract negotiations.[6][5]

References

  1. 1 2 Baker, Kevin (2015-05-18). "'Welcome to Fear City' – the inside story of New York's civil war, 40 years on". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  2. ↑ Kihss, Peter (1975-06-16). "POLICE LEADERS DECRY LEAFLETS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Fowler, Glenn (1975-06-13). "Union 'Guide' to 'Fear City' Is Banned by a Court Order". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  4. ↑ Carlson, Jen (2013-09-16). "The 1970s Pamphlet Aimed At Keeping Tourists Out Of NYC". Gothamist. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  5. 1 2 3 Nierenberg, Amelia (2023-08-25). "Yale Students Got a Terrifying Message. From the Campus Police". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  6. ↑ "Borrowing "Fear City" tactic from 1975, police union tells Yale students to avoid New Haven". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
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