Non-sequitor. There's no evidence that the actions taken were either necessary or even efficacious.
The NYPD arrests people for avoiding a $3 subway fare, but does nothing about defaced license plates which avoid much higher fines and tolls. It's lazy or corrupt (probably both) and actions like this are one way to draw attention to the situation.
3 million people a day ride the subway. 12.5% evade the fare.
How many of those 375,000 people a day is the NYPD arresting?
What is your point? The NYPD makes a big deal about cracking down on fare evasion [1] but do nothing about defaced license plates and fake placards, in part because they and their friends are offenders.