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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

An illustration of Malcom X wearing a black suit, a gray hat and a pair of glasses with black frames against a red background.

Celebration of Black cinema and civil rights in America: ‘Malcolm X’ turns 30

Three decades ago since its release, the Brooklyn Academy of Music hosted a screening for Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X” to commemorate the legacy of the film and the enduring memory of the civil rights activist. 
Mick Gaw, Staff Writer December 9, 2022

Over one thousand New Yorkers gathered at the opulent Howard Gilman Opera House to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X”  biopic on Nov. 22. The Brooklyn...

An illustration of pages of a legal document in the foreground and a blurred image of an N.Y.U Campus Safety badge in the background.

Man convicted of murder sues NYU after being denied Campus Safety job

A man who applied for a Campus Safety officer position at NYU is suing the university after he was not hired due to a nearly 50-year old murder conviction.
Tori Morales, Deputy News Editor December 2, 2022

A rejected applicant for a job with NYU’s Campus Safety Department is suing the university for allegedly violating human rights laws in New York by not hiring him due to his...

A crowd of people march on the street in a protest passing by parked cars holding protest banners.

East Village rally protests destruction of houseless communities

New York residents protested the citywide sweeps and demanded that Mayor Eric Adams provide community-controlled housing during a demonstration in Tompkins Square Park on April 8.
Gabriel Hawthorne, Deputy News Editor April 12, 2022

More than 100 people stood in solidarity with their unhoused neighbors on Friday, April 8, to protest the sweep of encampments throughout New York City. The Tompkins Square...

A woman holds a sign demanding the closure of the Rikers Island jail. Activists are criticizing the rising death toll and inhumane living conditions, and New York City has pledged to close Rikers Island in 2027. (Photo by Sam Clegg)

Opinion: Close Rikers now

Amid an alarming rise in suicides, neglect and unlivable conditions, it is incumbent upon Mayor Bill de Blasio to shut down Rikers Island jail complex and stop wasting taxpayer money on pointless reforms.
Asha Ramachandran, Opinion Editor September 30, 2021

After touring Rikers Island on Monday, Sept. 27, Mayor Bill de Blasio noted the city’s progress in improving the jail. However, he failed to mention the deadly overcrowding,...

New York City has an obligation to vaccinate prisoners

New York City has an obligation to vaccinate prisoners

Incarcerated New Yorkers face a higher risk of exposure and death from COVID-19. They should be prioritized in the city’s vaccine distribution plan.
Lucy Yama, Contributing Writer March 29, 2021

New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan has excluded prisoners, one of the city’s most vulnerable populations. The Legal Aid Society accused Gov. Cuomo and New York...

José Diaz and Raechel Bosch discuss the  challenges that remain for released inmates, including a lack of resources post-incarceration and discrimination. (Staff Photo by Shy Mitchell)

NYU Prison Education Program Graduate Urges Visibility for Formerly Incarcerated

NYU PEP graduate José Diaz and faculty member Raechel Bosch spoke to the NYU community about lingering stigma toward the formerly incarcerated.
Cristiano Rotolo, Staff Writer February 21, 2020

Stern’s Political Economy Exchange invited José Diaz — a graduate of NYU’s Prison Education Program — and Raechel Bosch, a faculty member of NYU’s Prison Education Program,...

Hafza Girdap, Advocates of Silenced Turkey's spokesperson discusses civil rights in Turkey with NYU students at "Babies Behind Bars." The discussion included topics ranging from the country's human rights violations to actions student activists can do to take action. (Staff photo by Mina Mohammadi)

NYU Amnesty International Chapter Hosts Talk on Turkey

Hafza Girdap, spokesperson from Advocates of Silenced Turkey, came to NYU’s Amnesty International Chapter to speak on the criminalization of human rights activism.
Mina Mohammadi, Deputy News Editor February 19, 2020

Against a backdrop of increased scrutiny on Turkey’s violation of human rights, advocates met on Tuesday, Feb. 18 to discuss the imprisonment of political activists.  The...

To Condemn Serial Killers, We Must Stop Glorifying Them

To Condemn Serial Killers, We Must Stop Glorifying Them

Serial killers like Ted Bundy deserve to be relegated to the dredges of society, and we must change how popular media portrays them.
Ashley Wu, Staff Writer October 21, 2019

In an era where documentaries about serial killers are so palatable that people throw watch parties with snacks and bottles of wine, it’s no surprise that millennials have a...

Building Jails and Barring Voices

Building Jails and Barring Voices

The proposed Chinatown jail shows how far Mayor de Blasio is willing to go for political power by excluding the community from discussions despite health risks.
Jun Sung, Deputy Opinion Editor September 10, 2019

In his quest to close New York City’s most infamous jail, Mayor Bill de Blasio has proposed a four-borough jail plan to replace Rikers Island with four smaller jails in every...

Food options from NYU dining halls. (WSN file photo)

Like NYU, Barnard Drops Aramark for Chartwells

Barnard announced Thursday that it will drop Aramark and switch to Chartwells after students protested Aramark’s ties to prisons.
Meghna Maharishi, News Editor April 12, 2019

Barnard College decided to drop Aramark as a food service provider in favor of Chartwells in an announcement on Thursday. The Compass Group subsidiary will take over the college’s...

The Case for Prison Abolition

Read one writer’s take on the recent incident at MDC Brooklyn and what it says about the criminal justice system as a whole.
Cole Stallone, Deputy Opinion Editor February 6, 2019

In the midst of New York’s frigid weather last weekend, Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn, a pre-trial federal detention center for low-level offenders, lost power and heating....

The U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Should Be in Prison

The U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Should Be in Prison

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has a sketchy history in the banking industry that should be grounds enough to imprison him.
Cole Stallone, Staff Writer November 12, 2018
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has a sketchy history in the banking industry that should be grounds enough to imprison him.