Retired NYPD Chief John Chell made a simple, commonsense point on national television: canceling New York City’s New Year’s Eve celebration because of threats hands victory to the very people who want to terrorize our public life. New York is not some fragile museum; it’s a city that has always met danger with resolve and planning, not panic.
Chell’s involvement in the city’s security briefing underlines that the professionals on the ground — not fearmongering pundits or timid politicians — should decide whether an event goes forward. His insistence on robust checkpoints and a widened perimeter shows the NYPD has a plan to keep crowds safe while still defending freedom and normalcy.
When cities bow to threats and cancel public life, they reward terrorism and empower radicals who want to remake our culture through intimidation. Voices like Rudy Giuliani’s and seasoned police leaders rightly say cancellations should be based on intelligence and police readiness, not on messaging pressure or performative caution. We must not let Europe’s missteps become America’s habits.
The practical measures Chell discussed — expanded perimeters, checkpoint screening and clear police posts — are the kinds of sensible adjustments that keep people safe without surrendering liberty. Those are the tradeoffs responsible leaders make: beef up security, enforce the law, and let Americans celebrate. Retreating into cancellations is an admission of defeat the city cannot afford.
This debate also exposes a deeper problem: civic leaders who undermine law enforcement and legal consequences make any large public event riskier. Chell has repeatedly warned that inconsistent enforcement and weak consequences for lawbreaking invite repeat offenders and chaotic protests that threaten public safety. If we want to keep Times Square open and families celebrating, we must back the cops and back common-sense rules.
New York’s resilience is part of what makes America exceptional — we celebrate in defiance of those who would see us cower. Let the NYPD do its job, let leaders support the men and women who keep the city safe, and let Americans ring in the new year without giving an inch to fear. The alternative is a timid, unsafe city that forgets how to stand up for itself.
