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  As of Wednesday, vendors on the Brooklyn Bridge will be prohibited from selling souvenirs to reduce the overcrowding.
  
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  According to New York City mayor Eric Adams, the decision was made after crowds during the holiday season created dangerous situations.
  
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  Although the ban will be applied to all city bridges in general, Brooklyn Bridge is particularly affected due to its high number of vendors.
  

Visitors to New York City who want to bring home a souvenir of the Brooklyn Bridge may have to settle for just a photo, as vendors will soon be banned from this iconic span.

The new rule that goes into effect on Wednesday aims to reduce the overcrowding of the heavily used pedestrian walkway where tourists, city commuters, and trinket vendors compete for space.

According to New York City mayor Eric Adams, as crowds flooded the bridge during the holiday season, it became dangerous. He cited videos showing pedestrians jumping from an elevated walkway to a bike lane a few feet below to avoid a traffic jam.

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Adams stated on Tuesday that “it’s not just a sanitary problem, it’s also a matter of public safety.” “People would have trampled on each other.” This city needs order. “That is one of the major landmarks in our city.”

All of the city’s 15 bridges will be affected by the new rules. However, none has as many vendors as Brooklyn Bridge. This 140-year old bridge is lined with tables selling phone cases, Yankees cap knockoffs, novelty license plates, and more.

The vendors on the bridge admit that the number of vendors has increased in recent years due to the relaxed enforcement during the pandemic caused by the coronavirus and the availability low-priced products. The decision to move cyclists onto a separate lane on the road two years ago also created space for stalls.

On the middle span, entrepreneurs have set up a rotating platform where tourists can take panoramic pictures for a fee.

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MD Rahman has been selling hot dogs and pretzels from a cart near the bridge since 15 years. He said that he understood the need to crackdown on illegal vendors. He criticized the plan of the city as being too broad because it applies to veteran vendors, such as himself, who have mobile vending licences.

Rahman pointed to the group of newer vendors on the middle bridge and said: “The problem are the people who sell things illegally and without a license up there.” To punish everyone is crazy. “I don’t even know what will happen to my family.”

Police officers posted flyers across the bridge in several languages, warning vendors that they would have to leave. Some questioned whether the city was going to follow through with the plan.

Qiu Lan Linu, a vendor of hats, T-shirts and other items, said, “Maybe in a couple weeks I’ll come back.” Many of the items featured the New York Police Department insignia NYPD. “I’ll watch what others do.”

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While the news of the ban spread, tourists took advantage of low-priced items while they could. Ana Souza of Oklahoma proudly displayed an “I Love New York’ tote that she had found for only $10. This was a fraction the price she saw in brick-and mortar shops.

Jenny Acuchi visited New York after visiting Oakland, California. She said, “It is a little crowded but not as much I expected.” The thing that makes the place crowded is everyone taking pictures.

Some disability rights activists supported the new rules, claiming that the ban would improve wheelchair access immediately. Ydanis Rodrguez, the city’s chief of transportation, released a statement in which he praised the improvements made to the “America’s Effel Tower”.

Rashawn prince, who uses his bridge to sell copies of “How to roll a Blunt for Dummies! He was not moved by the comparison.

Prince replied, “I’ve visited the Eiffel tower.” There are also vendors.