After Threats, Reps Demand Safety Measures At Harlem State Office

HARLEM, NY – A 42-year-old Harlem resident, Vadim Dergachev, appeared at State Sen. Cordell Cleare’s Harlem office in the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building on 125th Street on Nov. 18 and threatened to “shoot up” and “blow up” the office if he couldn't speak with Cleare, who wasn't in the building at the time of the incident.

It took 20 minutes for the NYPD to arrive and arrest Dergachev, who was unarmed. After being released, he returned to the building on Dec. 4 – three times – despite being charged with making terrorist threats and in violation of an order of protection, according to Cleare. A spokesperson for the NYPD confirmed Dergachev was indeed arrested at the building for violating an order of protection on Dec. 4.

“This man came into this building and threatened to bomb my office, he threatened to shoot everyone in my office,” Cleare recounted at a rally on Friday inside the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building where both incidents occurred.

“I’m joined here by my colleagues in government as well as my neighbors, my constituents, and leaders in the community, from the clergy on down to our civic organizations. We are calling for safety measures to be taken at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building in light of recent threats…We need to be prepared for the changing times that we’re living in right now.”

Domestic terrorism investigations have more than doubled since 2020, with incidents of domestic terrorism up 357 percent between 2013 and 2021, according to the Government Accountability Office.

These are the first such incidents that Cleare, who represents Harlem and a slice of the Upper West Side, has experienced. She has "no idea" who Dergachev is and "has never met him," a spokesperson confirmed.

“I am calling on the Office of General Services (OGS), which manages this building, to ramp up our security. We need armed personnel…We have to have processes put in place so that everybody understands what to do in case of an emergency. NYPD has to have full access to this building, to come in and protect its tenants when they’re called. The state troopers need to be assigned to the state office building in order to protect the tenants of this building,” she said.

“‘Bomb’ means the whole building, and we’ve had that in New York. We’ve had that history. We don’t need a tragedy here in Harlem in order for us to respond.”

'We Want Action'

State Senator Robert Jackson and Assembly Members Al Taylor and Eddie Gibbs stood with Cleare on Friday.

“We want action,” said Jackson. “Not five weeks from now, or when someone gets shot or killed, we want action, what?”

“Now!” the crowd shouted.

“So Governor, OGS, let’s get our act together and ensure the safety and security of the people we represent.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office has not yet responded to a request for comment.

OGS recently completed a security update in the building, which it plans to implement over the next few weeks. Future projects are in the works, including entry and exit access standardization on all doors.

“On November 18, my sister was threatened,” said Gibbs. “And I’m a bit upset with the Commissioner of OGS because she has [had] the audacity to [not] come meet with us yet. I believe if the State Building was located two miles south of here and a man walked in and threatened our Senator, not only would they shut the building down, they’d change the security operation–”

“We’d be shut down,” Cleare interrupted.

“Commissioner should’ve been in [Cleare's] office the next day,” Gibbs said, shaking his head. “Senator, we got your back.”

Asked if she thought these types of incidents might “get worse” once President-Elect Trump is sworn in, Cleare said she had every reason to believe they would.

“If this is how people are behaving beforehand – and this has nothing to do with party or who you supported, its about the type of people that we have seen, and what he represents to those people – yes.”

When he first appeared at her office on Nov. 18, Dergachev invoked President-Elect Trump and said “things are going to change now,” in addition to making disparaging remarks about President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Unfortunately, as a result of recent elections, there are those among us who feel emboldened and empowered to attack and threaten public servants and others. This is not just about Senator Cordell Cleare. A lot happens in this building. We serve the whole community…We don’t need anybody who speaks hate, who has hate in their heart, or who wants to do something to make a point, to attack and target this building.”

The Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office is a 19-story building at 125th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard. It houses numerous government offices and services.

UPDATE: A spokesperson for OGS provided the following statement on Friday:

OGS is aware of the recent incident that occurred on Nov. 18, in the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building. Following the incident, OGS met with the Senator and her staff to [address] concerns. We understand that this incident caused concern, and we want to assure the public and building occupants that their safety is our highest priority. OGS continues to take all the necessary precautions to prioritize the safety and well-being of those who occupy our state buildings.

OGS remains committed to maintaining state office buildings that are accessible and secure for all occupants. We regularly review our safety protocols and will work with the tenants to develop additional measures to ensure a safe environment for everyone.