Dozens of unlicensed vendors have illegally swarmed the Brooklyn Bridge to hawk cheap New York City souvenirs and fruit cups \u2014 while their licensed competition, including disabled veterans, say they\u2019re being pushed out and unable to make a living.<\/p>\n
The Post counted roughly 42 vendors across the historic span on Sunday and spotted one brazenly spreading out dozens of New York canvas bags directly in front of a \u201cno vending allowed\u201d sign.<\/p>\n
Street vendors sell souvenirs on the walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday, August 23, 2026, in New York City. Michael Nagle for NY Post<\/p>\n
The illicit hawkers peddled Big Apple-themed tchotchkes, including $1 NYC magnets and $5 hats. An 11-year-old girl even sold a Post reporter a $1 bottle of water before pointing up the bridge and stating her mom was \u201cselling mangos.\u201d<\/p>\n
The disorderly scene has frustrated local licensed merchants, including disabled veterans who said they are unable to compete with their unlicensed counterparts.<\/p>\n
Sammy, a 48-year-old licensed ice cream vendor and disabled veteran who has worked near City Hall for decades, said the illicit vendors returned around October 2025, but claimed, \u201cthe chaos exploded under Mamdani.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt started under Adams because he didn\u2019t give a f\u2013k,\u201d he said of the end of former Mayor Eric Adams\u2019 term.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re illegal vendors. They\u2019re there, and they\u2019re back,\u201d Sammy said. \u201cThey\u2019re causing chaos. They\u2019re costing the city money. Cops are chasing them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sammy said police occasionally issue tickets, but the fines appear to do little to curb the peddlers who rack up profits by selling illegally.<\/p>\n
Vending is prohibited in New York City on pedestrian walkways and bike lanes on bridges and bridge approaches. Michael Nagle for NY Post<\/p>\n
The Post witnessed several sellers flee the bridge as a pair of cops patrolled the expanse.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey give tickets, but they give little stupid $20 tickets, $50 tickets. But he\u2019s going to make $1,000 illegally, so what\u2019s a $20 ticket?\u201d<\/p>\n
The turf wars amongst the vendors have also turned violent. <\/p>\n
Last week, Sammy was left with scratches all over his arms after breaking up a fight between mango sellers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re all fighting with each other. The illegal mango [sellers] are cutting each other up, scratching,\u201d Sammy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were fighting. I tried to get in between them to stop them from fighting. The wife jumps on me while I\u2019m trying to hold her husband from getting hit by the other five guys. The next thing you know, they\u2019re all punching me and scratching me,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m doing the police work, I\u2019m doing the Parks Department work, and I\u2019m an ice cream guy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Licensed vendors say the illegal activity is causing unregulated chaos and competition. Michael Nagle for NY Post<\/p>\n
In January 2024, Adams followed through on a promise to boot the \u201cpacked like sardines\u201d vendors <\/a>from the Brooklyn Bridge to the relief of pedestrians.<\/p>\n A rule went into effect that January to prohibit vending on pedestrian walkways<\/a> and bike lanes on bridges and bridge approaches.<\/p>\n The <\/a>regulation was slated to affect all Big Apple crossings \u2014 but was specifically created to target the Brooklyn Bridge after the 1.14-mile-long historic landmark turned into an open-air free-for-all.<\/a><\/p>\n But Sammy blasted Mamdani for not doing enough to stop the peddlers whose low prices he claims have forced other souvenir shops to shutter.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hurting everybody \u2026 the stores, the businesses over here. It\u2019s hurting everybody. The people over here are all disabled veterans,\u201d he said of the licensed vendors outside of City Hall, many of whom are unable to set up because the illegal vendors get there at the crack of dawn and \u201cbeat everyone to the spot.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMamdani is new, but the [eight] months he\u2019s been in, nothing has changed over there. The cops are not allowed to bother them, and if they arrest somebody, the DA releases them.\u201d<\/p>\n A street vendor sells souvenirs next to a \u201cNo Vending Allowed\u201d sign on the walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday, Michael Nagle for NY Post<\/p>\n A 41-year-old disabled veteran and US Marine who was discharged in 2008 also told The Post that there are now more than 100 unlicensed vendors on the bridge at times.<\/p>\n \u201cUs being disabled veterans and having a license means nothing over there now because if I go over there, they\u2019re going to kick me out. But they\u2019re not kicking [illegal vendors] out now,\u201d said the licensed vendor, who declined to give his name for fear of retaliation.<\/p>\n He claimed he went to court and the city told him he could not vend on the bridge because it was a \u201cnational security\u201d issue.<\/p>\n \u201cThese people who just jumped the border, there\u2019s no national security for them,\u201d he said of the unlicensed vendors.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore they got rid of all the vendors, there were about 60 \u2013 80 vendors\u2026Now there\u2019s about 120 vendors.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you start from Manhattan side [of the bridge] all the way to Brooklyn side, it\u2019s full of vendors on the floor, and they\u2019re not confiscating nobody\u2019s merchandise. They\u2019re not doing any enforcement, but the moment I go over there, they want to come and harass me and take my merchandise,\u201d he said of the NYPD.<\/p>\n