Eyes on the Street: Times Square, May 2, 2011
By
Ben Fried
1:36 PM EDT on May 2, 2011
Ten years ago, after the attacks of September 11, New Yorkers came together in places like Union Square, holding candlelight vigils and creating impromptu memorials to the victims. Following the news late last night that American forces had killed Osama bin Laden, people again flocked to New York’s iconic public spaces. This time the mood was jubilant, and there were a few more public spaces for people to congregate and share a historical moment with other people. Flickr user Josh Pesavento captured these images from the pedestrian plazas in Times Square.
Ben Fried started as a Streetsblog reporter in 2008 and led the site as editor-in-chief from 2010 to 2018. He lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, with his wife.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog New York City
Mamdani Administration Backs ‘Delivery Protection’ Law Opposed By Amazon-Backed Coalition
Amazon-backed groups bused dozens of people to City Hall to fight a Mamdani-backed proposal to regulate the e-commerce wild west.
April 10, 2026
POL PLOT: Hochul’s Insurance Plan Is A Statewide Head-Scratcher
"I think if you are injured through negligence, you should be able to seek justice at all costs," said one state Senator.
April 10, 2026
Tribeca Residents Want To Swap Parking for A Plaza at Underused Barnett Newman Triangle
Council Member Chris Marte is backing a local push to transform Barnett Newman Triangle from a sad concrete island into a lush urban oasis.
April 10, 2026
Friday’s Headlines: The Streetsblog Block Party (Canceled!) Edition
The World Cup is getting in the way of Streetsblog's attempts to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Plus the news.
April 10, 2026
‘Predictable’: Manhattan Mom Struck by Driving Scofflaw Wants Known Super Speeders off the Road
Another crash shows how little the political class wants to get reckless drivers off the road.
April 9, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.