New York councilors are ending a 160-year tradition. Trump 'saddened'

The New York City Council passed a law banning horse-drawn carriages, the so-called Romancho's Act. The ban is to apply from 2028.

With the support of a majority of Council members, we have a historic opportunity to protect New Yorkers, tourists, workers and animals. We intend to complete this task, said council member Christopher Marte before the vote.

Act after the death of an 18-year-old

The bill is named after 18-year-old Romankh Mahajan. A teenager died in June in a carriage accident in Central Park. The tourist jumped out of the cab when the frightened horse started galloping.

We want to make sure that Romancho's death was not in vain, so that no one else dies or is injured as a result of being hit by horse-drawn carriages in New York, said Saggar Chadha, a lawyer for the 18-year-old's family.

The mayor intends to sign the ban

City Council President Julie Menin told NY1 the ban is necessary to protect animals and public safety. 42 million people use Central Park each year, and the horse-drawn carriages operate in a very crowded area. We had many accidents in which spooked horses ran away, she said.

She added that this is a long-standing problem. The city council's first bill banning the horse-drawn carriage industry was passed 19 years ago. From the point of view of animal welfare, this is very important, she said.

The bill has now been sent for signature by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. His office has already announced that the mayor will sign the bill.

Cab drivers protest

The new regulations mean the end of 160 years of history - horse-drawn carriages have been running in Central Park since its creation. The operation will end in June 2028, and the transition plan for employees and owners of horse-drawn carriages is to be ready in 2027.

However, cab drivers and their families claim that this plan does not go far enough. On Wednesday and Thursday, they protested in front of the city hall on this matter. One family admitted that they had spent almost a century building their business.

"Two years ago, I invested $400,000 to fulfill my father's dream, and you stole it from me," said Francesco Riccobono.

We are asking for justice. We ask for your sympathy. We're asking for a seat at the table, added his wife, Natalie.

The Transport Workers' Union said it was ready to challenge the ban in federal court. Union lawyer Ben Kallos said he believes the judge will strike down the rules.

"The Beginning of a More Humane Approach to Tourism in New York"

Supporters of the bill praised the vote and thanked the city authorities for carrying out this action.

Betsy Smith, CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, said in a statement that horse-drawn carriage rides pose a "serious and even fatal threat to the safety of park visitors, drivers and the horses themselves."

Kathleen Schatzmann, legislative strategy manager at the Animal Legal Defense Fund, called the vote "the beginning of a more humane and safer approach to tourism in New York."

Trump on 'sad decision'