Report: SantaConners 'plunder' One and One, causing $5,000 in damages, owner says

SEE IT: SantaCon participants plunder neighborhood pub during afternoon rampage https://t.co/JPDmHhgxal pic.twitter.com/Yjp8xJ2Edt

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) December 13, 2016

We heard about this incident taking place Saturday afternoon during the height of SantaCon at Nexus Lounge, the downstairs space at One and One on First Avenue and First Street.

The Daily News has more here. To their report:

One and One pub owner Paul O’Sullivan says unruly Santas stormed into the unopened lower-level lounge area beneath his corner watering-hole, smashing, drinking and stealing everything they could find shortly after 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

“(The Santas) managed to storm in, rob all the booze, smash up all the glassware and steal all the Christmas decorations,” says O’Sullivan...

O’Sullivan estimated that the Santas did $5,000 in damage.

The NYPD confirmed to the Daily News that cops responded to the bar (we saw three cruisers), but no charges were filed.

SantaCon 2016 in photos

A few scenes from SantaCon yesterday in the East Village...



















Above photos by Derek Berg...


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...and some photos by EVG reader Cheyenne...









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Will update later with any reports of arrests, donation totals, etc. (Two SantaCon protesters were reportedly ticketed yesterday for using megaphones without a permit.)

Perhaps we'll find out more about all this at One and One ...



Or this...



Updated 2:19 p.m.

From Gothamist:

An NYPD spokesperson told Gothamist that there were no SantaCon-related arrests made last night. NBC caught footage of two "SantaCon Is Cancelled" protesters who appeared to be arrested before noon, but an NYPD spokesperson told Gothamist that there was no record of their arrests. Officers did issue 100 summonses though, most of which were for disorderly conduct.

H/T NOTORIOUS

2nd Avenue, 8:13 a.m., Dec. 11

How was your BumbleCon?

Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster costume pic on 14th Street earlier by James and Karla Murray...

Just before 9 a.m., East 4th Street

Photo by Derek Berg

More about those SantaCon Cancelled flyers

[EVG reader photo from Thursday]

As we first noted on Thursday, someone placed flyers around the neighborhood noting that SantaCon, scheduled for today, has been cancelled... which means, according to the sign:

• NO congregating in Santa costumes
• NO throwing up on the sides of buildings
• NO public sex acts
• NO excessive drunkenness

A member of NYCR, the group who posted the flyers, told Gothamist yesterday that they reached out to SantaCon organizers to call off the event.

"Our country feels so divided right now that we are all searching for things that unify us," their spokesperson said. "The one thing that I have found that we all have in common is our disdain for SantaCon. Over the past few years myself and others have witnessed several horrible acts ..."

"We have reached out to organizers and asked them to cancel but have not heard back," they continued. "We hope they will come to their senses. We hope the organizers hear us loud and clear and are aware that we will be out in force tomorrow to stop SantaCon if they don't cancel."

They add that anyone interested in spending their Saturday aiding their crusade should meet up at noon Saturday at Bar 13. "We want to make it clear to the young people out there that this is not just a bunch of 40 and 50 year olds and we have several people under the age of 35 planning on participating."

Other media outlets reported on the story as well.

Gary Egan, general manager of Pete’s Tavern on Irving Place told CBS 2 that he would be cool with seeing SantaCon go.

“I really wish it would be canceled,” Egan said. “It’s turned into an abomination of drunk Santa Clauses fighting; vomiting all over the city. and it sends a terrible message to children.”

CBS 2 also talked with one SantaCon fan.

“SantaCon canceled – what? What?” said Zavier Dahlbenza of East New York, Brooklyn. “The drunkenness, the Santa costumes — I love all of it! I don’t think it should be canceled at all. I think it should keep going.”

There is also a Boycott SantaCon Twitter account (not sure if this is affiliated with the group who created the posters. This account started in 2014.)

SantaCon is an alt-right convention with red hats instead of white. Dial 311 and report people to the naughty list.

— Boycott SantaCon (@boycottsantacon) December 9, 2016

Anyway, SantaCon organizers had to reassure people that the Con was still on...

@NYCdisinterest Don't believe everything you read on poles! (unless its the North Pole).. #santaconnyc is definitely on!

— Santacon NYC (@santacon) December 9, 2016

SantaCon starts today at 10. At least 18 bars are participating in the East Village.

Lastly, a word from the 9th Precinct...

Extra officers are working tomorrow for @santacon to ensure everyone a good & safe time while being respectful of our neighbors pic.twitter.com/d7LGqg1OUn

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) December 9, 2016

These East Village bars are participating in SantaCon tomorrow

Last night, the organizers of SantaCon released the names of the bars participating in the annual _______________, which takes place tomorrow (Saturday).

Here are the participating Santa Bars in the East Village (joining the main venues in this neighborhood — Solas and Webster Hall):

• Royale, 157 Avenue C near 10th Street
• The Central Bar, 109 E. Ninth St. near Third Avenue
• Village Pourhouse, 64 Third Ave. at 11th Street
• Finnerty's, 221 Second Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street
• Amsterdam Billiards, 110 E 11th St. at Fourth Ave.
• The Continental, 23 Third Ave. at St. Mark's Place
• Bull McCABE'S, 29 St Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue
• Professor Thom's, 219 Second Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street
• Coyote Ugly, 153 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street
• Crocodile Lounge, 325 E 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue
• Phoenix Bar, 447 E 13th St. near Avenue A
• PINKS, 242 E 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue
• Doc Holliday's, 141 Avenue A at Ninth Street
• 7B, 108 Avenue B at Seventh Street
• Thirsty Scholar, 155 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street
• Double Down Saloon, 14 Avenue A between East Houston and Second Street

In all, there are 45 (plus) different bars in Midtown, the Flatiron District and the East Village officially participating in this ________. You can find the full list at the SantaCon website. The official SantaConning begins at 10 a.m.

(And there will likely be bars who won't be letting anyone dressed as Santa or other assorted costumes inside. So far we've only officially heard about one.)

Meanwhile yesterday, there was suspicious Santa activity on St. Mark's Place and Astor Place...





Photos by Derek Berg

All someone wants for Christmas...

An EVG reader spotted this on First Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street... a flyer campaign noting that SantaCon, scheduled for Saturday, has been cancelled... which means, according to the sign:

• NO congregating in Santa costumes
• NO throwing up on the sides of buildings
• NO public sex acts
• NO excessive drunkenness

(What about the rest of the year?)

Anyway, SantaCon hasn't been cancelled... the list of participating bars will be released later tonight.

East Village venues playing host again to SantaCon

SantaCon organizers took to Twitter last evening to announce "the amazing Seven Spots of Santacon 2016," which takes place this Saturday starting at 10 a.m.

And those seven spot of SantaConning include two East Village venues, Solas and Webster Hall. The full list:

• Ainsworth Park, 111 East 18th St.
• 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar, 230 5th Ave.
• Slake, 251 West 30th St.
• Madison Square Tavern
• Webster Hall, 125 East 11th St.
• Bar 13, 35 East 13th St.
• Solas, 232 East 9th St.

The SantaConning participants will be spread far and wide. As Patch reported:

In addition to these core venues, around 50 participating bars will open their doors to the Santas and offer special SantaCon deals. Those bars — along with the route's exact starting point — will be announced [tonight].

The East Village also served as SantaCon central last year.

And from the archives last year, Gothamist interviewed the organizer of SantaCon, East Village resident Jim Glaser (not named here but in a subsequent feature in the Times).

SantaCon battle lines forming

Just 10 days out now from SantaCon 2016. So far, no word on where the annual [____________] will take place. Regardless, even if the hot action happens elsewhere, there are sure to be plenty of residual Santas and friends in these parts...

... which is why battle lines are already forming...

Once again, the Continental at 23 Third Ave. near St. Mark's Place is welcoming the SantaConners...



...though the sign arrived some six weeks later than last year...



Meanwhile! Around the corner at 6 St. Mark's Place...



...Barcade has put up some No Santa signage...



And noted...their response to the amNewYork piece on how to avoid SantaCon...

🎅🏼 is a lover of free will, liberty and this great city! If you choose to avoid #SantaConNYC on 12/10 we respect your decision. #bahumbug https://t.co/kVCDZezO1q

— Santacon NYC (@santacon) November 29, 2016