Illegal street vendors crowd Brooklyn Bridge, squeezing out licensed sellers

Observers counted about 42 unlicensed hawkers on the Brooklyn Bridge, marketing low-cost New York memorabilia and fruit cups, with some even displaying dozens of canvas bags beside a posted prohibition sign. Licensed merchants, many of whom are disabled veterans like a longtime ice-cream vendor, say the surge of illegal sellers—who reappeared in October 2025—has driven them out of the market and caused financial strain.

The veteran described frequent police tickets of $20 to $50 as ineffective compared with the vendors' illegal earnings. He also recounted being scratched while intervening in a fight among mango sellers, highlighting growing tensions among the sellers themselves. The vendors claim the city’s enforcement is lax, noting that arrests are often overturned by the district attorney.

One veteran noted that the city told him he could not vend on the bridge for "national security" reasons, a rationale he disputes. Overall, the unregulated activity is blamed for hurting legitimate businesses and prompting calls for consistent enforcement.