Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has asked Joker fans to stay away from the iconic Bronx steps seen in the movie.
The Congresswoman, a Bronx native, was asked about the staircase-turned-movie-landmark by TMZ amid reports that fans had begun flocking to the steps.
“I think the way a lot of us feel is, listen, like, keep your Instagram posts outside of the Boogie Down,” she said in reference to her native borough.
“Like, this is for us.”
Her comments echo recent complaints from locals who haven’t been pleased with the recent influx of movie fans in their neighbourhood.
Footage of visitors posing for photos on the staircase has gone viral online, prompting some to express concerns that this would lead to accelerated gentrification in the area.
Ocasio-Cortez told TMZ that she was told as a child to be careful when visiting the area where the steps are located.
“When I was growing up, everyone would tell us to stay away from those steps or go with a friend,” she said, adding: “The Bronx is much safer now and I’m happy to say that.”
The staircase features prominently in the film’s promotional materials and serves as a backdrop for a key scene in Joker, during which Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is seen dancing on the steps.
In real life, it is located in the neighbourhood of Highbridge, where it is tucked away between two avenues.
The steps are one example of “step streets” created in New York City to allow pedestrians to circulate in areas too hilly for motorised transportation.
