Exclusive | Eric Adams rips Brooklyn lawmaker who called for Rikers closure then fought jail in his own district: 'Hypocrite'

The Adams administration has retaliated against Councilman Lincoln Restler, who had previously advocated for the closure of Rikers Island, for expressing concerns about the construction of a new jail in his Boerum Hill district. In his newsletter, Restler characterized the project as a significant issue, particularly due to noise during late-night construction. He asserted the City's management of the project was inadequate and called for improved coordination to alleviate noise impacts on local residents. City Hall labeled Restler a hypocrite for discussing the need for borough-based jails while complaining about their construction in his area.

While I have long supported the plan to close Rikers Island (where four detainees have tragically died in custody so far this year), I have strongly opposed the City's mishandling of the construction of the new jail in our community.

Publicly, Lincoln Restler never misses a chance to call for the closure of Rikers Island and the expedited construction of borough-based jails, but privately, he is trying to stall the construction of the borough-based jail in his own neighborhood.

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