Dozens of vendors operating without licenses were observed selling souvenirs and food on the Brooklyn Bridge walkway on Sunday, August 23, 2026, according to the New York Post, which counted roughly 42 vendors on the span and witnessed one seller displaying merchandise directly in front of a 'no vending allowed' sign. Licensed vendors, including disabled veterans, told the Post the unlicensed activity is preventing them from earning a living and that enforcement has been insufficient.
Unlicensed vendors crowd Brooklyn Bridge as licensed merchants, including disabled veterans, say they cannot compete
Dozens of vendors operating without licenses were observed selling souvenirs and food on the Brooklyn Bridge walkway on Sunday, August 23, 2026, according to the New York Post, which counted roughly 42 vendors on the span and witnessed one seller displaying merchandise directly in front of a 'no vending allowed' sign. Licensed vendors, including disabled veterans, told the Post the unlicensed activity is preventing them from earning a living and that enforcement has been insufficient.
A rule that took effect in January 2024 under then-Mayor Eric Adams prohibits vending on pedestrian walkways and bike lanes on bridges and bridge approaches in New York City. The regulation applied to all city crossings but was directed specifically at the Brooklyn Bridge, which officials at the time described as overcrowded with vendors.
The Post reported witnessing several sellers leave the bridge as two police officers walked the span, and observed unlicensed vendors selling items including $1 NYC magnets, $5 hats, and $1 bottles of water. An 11-year-old girl sold a reporter a bottle of water and indicated her mother was selling mangos further up the bridge.
Sammy, a 48-year-old licensed ice cream vendor and disabled veteran who said he has worked near City Hall for decades, told the Post that unlicensed vendors returned to the bridge around October 2025. He said police issue tickets but that fines of $20 to $50 do little to deter sellers who he said can earn $1,000 in a day from illegal vending.
Sammy also said he sustained scratches on his arms the previous week after intervening in a physical altercation among unlicensed mango sellers on the bridge. He described being struck and scratched by multiple individuals while attempting to stop the fight.
- The source does not include a response or comment from the office of Mayor Mamdani regarding the unlicensed vending situation.
- The source does not include a response or comment from the NYPD on enforcement practices or ticket amounts at the Brooklyn Bridge.
- The source does not include a response or comment from the New York City district attorney's office regarding the claim that arrested vendors are released.
- The source does not state the total number of licensed vendor permits currently active for the Brooklyn Bridge area or nearby City Hall zone.
- The source does not identify the unlicensed vendors or provide their accounts of their activity.
- The source does not specify the exact fine schedule for illegal vending on bridges under the January 2024 rule, beyond Sammy's characterization of tickets as '$20' or '$50.'
Read the original at New York Post