YouTube (new url)

A beloved subway busker who regales commuters with a saxophone and a band of dancing, animatronic cats was arrested at a Midtown station as Mayor Eric Adams seeks to restore order to the transit system.

The musician, known as Jazz Ajilo, or the “dancing is happiness” man on social media, was arrested at the 34th Street Herald Square subway station around 10:30 p.m. Thursday by six NYPD officers, according to police and video of the incident on the busker’s YouTube page.

The clip shows the musician having a conversation with the officers in one of his usual spots on the station’s mezzanine, surrounded by his gyrating figurines, speakers and a rotating donation box, when one of the cops suddenly grabs him to place him under arrest.

“Help me! Help me!” the musician cries as the cops wrestle with him and attempt to place handcuffs on his wrists.

“Officer, why are you arresting me?” he’s heard shouting.

“What did I do wrong? I’m a musician … I’ve got four autistic children.”

The saxophonist repeatedly screams for help as he wrestles with cops while they work to arrest him.

The officers are heard telling him to stop resisting, but the conversation they were having before the arrest isn’t audible in the clip.

The busker later posted the video to his YouTube page and said he was arrested and given four tickets for “performing in the same spot” he’s used on and off for the last five years.


“The police always see me there everytime and they also cheers [sic] me on,” the musician wrote on his YouTube page.

“My wrist is injured from the tight handcuffs, Am emotionally depressed, and my body hurts.”

Once he was released and allowed to reclaim his property, the busker said his saxophone was damaged and his “dancers” — the animatronic cats and bunnies — were left broken and “incomplete,” he claimed on YouTube.

“And Four pink tickets to top it all after overnight in the cell all for a struggling subway street musician trying to take care of family and my four Autism / Autistic Children and the community musically,” he wrote.

Performing in subway stations is allowed, according to MTA regulations, but there are a number of code-of-conduct rules that buskers must follow, such as keeping the volume under a certain decibel level and not setting up too close to the booth.


A spokesperson for the NYPD said they received “multiple complaints from the MTA” that the busker was “impeding pedestrian flow and utilizing a sound reproduction device” and came to the area to ask the musician to leave.


METRO EXCLUSIVE
Beloved subway saxophonist arrested by NYPD: video
By Gabrielle Fonrouge

June 27, 2022 | 4:52pm



A beloved subway busker who regales commuters with a saxophone and a band of dancing, animatronic cats was arrested at a Midtown station as Mayor Eric Adams seeks to restore order to the transit system.

MORE ON:
NYPD

Video shows fleeing NYC driver who k*lled a grandma strike a third person
Mayoral smackdown: Adams says Giuliani may have filed a phony report in SI 'assault' — Rudy responds: 'go f--k' yourself
Adams defends subway saxophonist's arrest, says he's 'proud' of officers
NYPD removes 2,000 bees from New York City restaurant
The musician, known as Jazz Ajilo, or the “dancing is happiness” man on social media, was arrested at the 34th Street Herald Square subway station around 10:30 p.m. Thursday by six NYPD officers, according to police and video of the incident on the busker’s YouTube page.

The clip shows the musician having a conversation with the officers in one of his usual spots on the station’s mezzanine, surrounded by his gyrating figurines, speakers and a rotating donation box, when one of the cops suddenly grabs him to place him under arrest.


“Help me! Help me!” the musician cries as the cops wrestle with him and attempt to place handcuffs on his wrists.

“Officer, why are you arresting me?” he’s heard shouting.

“What did I do wrong? I’m a musician … I’ve got four autistic children.”

The saxophonist repeatedly screams for help as he wrestles with cops while they work to arrest him.





Subway musician Jazz Ajillo was arrested by six NYPD officers at the 34th Street Herald Square station last Thursday evening.
Subway musician Jazz Ajilo was arrested by six NYPD officers at the 34th Street Herald Square station last Thursday evening.
Jazz Ajilo
The officers are heard telling him to stop resisting, but the conversation they were having before the arrest isn’t audible in the clip.

The busker later posted the video to his YouTube page and said he was arrested and given four tickets for “performing in the same spot” he’s used on and off for the last five years.


“The police always see me there everytime and they also cheers [sic] me on,” the musician wrote on his YouTube page.

“My wrist is injured from the tight handcuffs, Am emotionally depressed, and my body hurts.”

Once he was released and allowed to reclaim his property, the busker said his saxophone was damaged and his “dancers” — the animatronic cats and bunnies — were left broken and “incomplete,” he claimed on YouTube.

“And Four pink tickets to top it all after overnight in the cell all for a struggling subway street musician trying to take care of family and my four Autism / Autistic Children and the community musically,” he wrote.

Performing in subway stations is allowed, according to MTA regulations, but there are a number of code-of-conduct rules that buskers must follow, such as keeping the volume under a certain decibel level and not setting up too close to the booth.


A spokesperson for the NYPD said they received “multiple complaints from the MTA” that the busker was “impeding pedestrian flow and utilizing a sound reproduction device” and came to the area to ask the musician to leave.


Ajilo pleaded with the officers as they placed him under arrest.
Ajilo pleaded with the officers as they placed him under arrest.
Jazz Ajilo
“Officers … observed an individual with a large display of crates, robotic animals and a sound system obstructing the flow of pedestrian traffic through the subway facilities. The individual was given multiple warnings to leave the location in which no enforcement action would be taken,” the spokesperson said.

The NYPD said after the busker was warned, he refused to leave the subway station and then failed to hand over identification when asked.

“An NYPD sergeant responded and reiterated the same directives to the individual. After exhausting all options with the individual he was placed into custody and removed to a police facility,” the spokesperson said.


Police said the musician was given four summonses for disregarding MTA rules and regulations, panhandling in transit, impeding pedestrian flow and disorderly conduct.

They said he was released “shortly thereafter with all of his property returned to him” and didn’t comment on the musician’s claims that his saxophone and dancing cats were damaged.

The MTA confirmed a station booth agent complained to police that the busker was taking up “excessive space” and interfering with the flow of foot traffic.

“The MTA has rules of conduct that are for the safety of all riders and employees and are not optional. We appreciate the Mayor’s and police commissioner’s commitment to keeping New Yorkers safe by ensuring those rules are observed across the transit system,” MTA chief safety and security officer Pat Warren told The Post in a statement.

Since taking office, Adams has vowed to crack down on subway rule breakers and quality-of-life offenses on the rails and has made reducing violence in the transit system a top priority of his administration.

“No more smoking. No more doing drugs. No more sleeping. No more doing barbecues on the subway system. No more just doing whatever you want,” Adams said in February when announcing his new subway safety plan.

SEE ALSO

Eric Adams patrols subways with NYPD cops amid surge in transit crime
Eric Adams patrols subways with NYPD cops amid surge in transit crime
“No. Those days are over. Swipe your MetroCard. Ride the system. Get off at your destination. That’s what this administration is saying.”

City Hall deferred to the NYPD when asked if the musician’s performance was the sort of offense Adams has sought to curtail, but during an appearance on Fox 5 Monday evening, Hizzoner said that it was — and vigorously defended the arrest.

“I’m proud of the action they took,” Adams said.

“Listen, you got to follow the rules. That is how the system got in the way that it is now because no one was following the rules.

“[The officers] were not heavy-handed — they were patient. He was heavy-handed in ignoring them and then he became loud and disruptive to draw attention that something was wrong. Those officers took the right action.”

The busker couldn’t be reached for comment.

Fans of the musician were outraged when they saw the video of his arrest, with one writing in a YouTube comment that the NYPD “embarrassed themselves by arresting someone who brings happiness, fun and positivity into the world.”

Others called the takedown “sickening.”

“Jazz ajilo deserves justice,” a fan wrote.

“A sickening and immoral display of mindless violence towards a passive and civil musician.”

Another said the video brought them to tears.

“I’m a grown man and rarely do I cry, but this… I couldn’t help,” the person commented.

“I’m sad I’m angry and I dont know what to do.”

The busker created a GoFundMe page to raise money for “attorney fees” and “lost income” that’s brought in over $70,000 as of Monday evening.

I'm not mad

Why are cops such f*g**ts I see motherfu*kers doing all types of foul sh*t and they do nothing but some vendor they coming down like the punisher

sleep23rd said I'm not mad

U enjoy watching the cops harass citizens huh?

NYPD still the biggest gang

2packs Nosering said U enjoy watching the cops harass citizens huh?

too many pan handlers in the TS and on the train

They get annoying....plus it's for thier safety as well...

Imagine a pan handler has his change or dollar jar out and some dude just runs off with that sh*t...another person steps in, they get sliced or some sh*t over it...it leads to the platform where the tracks are...someone rolls in the tracks f*ghting,...a train comes..runs someone over....Ppl commuting now have to wait an hour or more before service is back...

Yall don't see the domino effect of sh*t...it's just as simple as u enjoy watching cops harass citizens

Probably not even from NY.... Probably some random snowman online

This is just disrespectful

sleep23rd said too many pan handlers in the TS and on the train They get annoying....plus it's for thier safety as well... Imagine a pan handler has his change or dollar jar out and some dude just runs off with that sh*t...another person steps in, they get sliced or some sh*t over it...it leads to the platform where the tracks are...someone rolls in the tracks f*ghting,...a train comes..runs someone over....Ppl commuting now have to wait an hour or more before service is back... Yall don't see the domino effect of sh*t...it's just as simple as u enjoy watching cops harass citizens Probably not even from NY.... Probably some random snowman online

Your misconstrued the basis for correcting a problem.

By actually going after mufu*kas that are a problem FIRST!

Why would you go after him initially? Is it because he’s an easy target so these fu*kheads wouldn’t actually have to work hard.

Plus getting him instead of someone that deserves it… who will it serve?

Who’s applauding this?

I’m pretty sure everyone in his 5 years has never complained about him.

THExTAKEOVER said Your misconstrued the basis for correcting a problem. By actually going after mufu*kas that are a problem FIRST! Why would you go after him initially? Is it because he’s an easy target so these fu*kheads wouldn’t actually have to work hard. Plus getting him instead of someone that deserves it… who will it serve? Who’s applauding this? I’m pretty sure everyone in his 5 years has never complained about him.

shiiiit...go after them all....

ALLLLLL

They attract the roaches

On the real though, did anybody else notice this dude is getting arrested by the United Nations of Benetton a*s Police Force??

You know you down bad when a Muslim woman in a hijab got you hemmed up on some panhandling sh*t

2packs Nosering said U enjoy watching the cops harass citizens huh?

I agree there are bigger problems the cops should take on instead of this dude, but where's the harassment. Seemed like a legit arrest

DUCEDUCE said Why are cops such f*g**ts I see motherfu*kers doing all types of foul sh*t and they do nothing but some vendor they coming down like the punisher

I bet they won't do this to the asian dude playing the violin on 42?
stop asian hate
you see that bi*ch with the bars? thats the answer

sleep23rd said too many pan handlers in the TS and on the train They get annoying....plus it's for thier safety as well... Imagine a pan handler has his change or dollar jar out and some dude just runs off with that sh*t...another person steps in, they get sliced or some sh*t over it...it leads to the platform where the tracks are...someone rolls in the tracks f*ghting,...a train comes..runs someone over....Ppl commuting now have to wait an hour or more before service is back... Yall don't see the domino effect of sh*t...it's just as simple as u enjoy watching cops harass citizens Probably not even from NY.... Probably some random snowman online

view image

ok now remove the stinky bum n*ggas too

nocomment said view image

Omg u gif so hard brooo

thx

sleep23rd said Omg u gif so hard brooo

view image

Clean it up though, seriously.

If they actually told him to move and he refused, sucks for him.

Cops shoulda focused on snatching up them stinky a*s junkies. Get those fu*kers off the train and out of public areas.

this bum just got the come up of 70K for that tantrum

nocomment said thx view image

Ur mad af
Don’t nobody know why tho
Gif king

Got to take the junkies off the station, especially those that go on the track

That's some Bullsh*t. fu*k the Overseers!

view image

Cause public servants are oppressive bullies & get a rise out of intimidation

Took 6 of them bastards ha

sleep23rd said too many pan handlers in the TS and on the train They get annoying....plus it's for thier safety as well... Imagine a pan handler has his change or dollar jar out and some dude just runs off with that sh*t...another person steps in, they get sliced or some sh*t over it...it leads to the platform where the tracks are...someone rolls in the tracks f*ghting,...a train comes..runs someone over....Ppl commuting now have to wait an hour or more before service is back... Yall don't see the domino effect of sh*t...it's just as simple as u enjoy watching cops harass citizens Probably not even from NY.... Probably some random snowman online

bi*ch you sound dumb as fu*k

illathruz said On the real though, did anybody else notice this dude is getting arrested by the United Nations of Benetton a*s Police Force?? You know you down bad when a Muslim woman in a hijab got you hemmed up on some panhandling sh*t

That's the first thing I thought watching the video. I was thinking human resources gotta be happy this video is viral.