Tuesday, June 2, 2020

More post-protest looting and unrest south of Union Square; Astor Place hit


[Photo by Ed Yoo]

The end of the fifth night of protests in the city saw more damage and looting to businesses in the hard-hit area south of Union Square.

Nearly two hours before the city's 11 p.m. curfew, looters were seen smashing their way into the Zumiez store on 13th Street and Broadway. Photographer Ed Yoo shared these images, saying that "it was nuts." (All photos here are by Ed.)



The Daily News has footage of the looters smashing their way into the skateboard apparel shop. They were inside for two minutes before police arrived.

The paper spoke with two of the men breaking into the store:

"It’s not just about George Floyd. It's about people who can't afford things," said one looter, a 22-year-old Bedford-Stuyvesant resident who gave the name Twin Moses. "We're going to sell this stuff back on the street for a lower price. We're getting our own back."

Another looter, who didn't give his name, rushed out of the store with his arms full of hoodies, designer sportswear and skateboards. "They've been beating my ass for 400 years. Now I'm going to buy my own chains. They call me black. Black America," he said.





Further south, windows were smashed at the Gap Women, Kmart and Starbucks on Astor Place...





The Astor Place Starbucks appears to have been ransacked...







Windows were broken at Kmart, but it's unclear if anyone entered the store... there appears to be security inside...







As in previous days, the citywide protests against racist police violence in the aftermath of George Floyd's death were said to be peaceful. However, as multiple published reports noted, as night falls, people use the crowd as cover.

Mayor de Blasio has announced an 8 p.m. curfew for today...

Mayor extends curfew to 8 tonight


The curfew will be in place through Sunday for now.

Monday, June 1, 2020

Monday's parting shot



A reader photo offering an aerial view of one of the peaceful protests early this evening... as the crowded was heading west along Houston at Avenue A... this marked the fifth straight day in NYC to denounce the death of George Floyd and cases of police brutality around the country...

Boarding up Avalon Bowery Place



After last night's looting along the Bowery, workers were quickly boarding up the businesses and residential entrance at Avalon Bowery Place on First Street, Extra Place and the Bowery...





Businesses in the complex include Baar Baar, Bowery Meat Company and Blue & Cream...



Citywide curfew goes into effect tonight at 11

Noting another break-in, this time at Rue-B



In what was likely an unfortunate common occurrence today... Michael Camacho, the owner of Rue B on Avenue B between 11th Street and 12th Street, filled out a burglary report with the 9th Precinct.



The same group who broke in at C&B Cafe, Alphabet City Beer Co. and Khiladi, among others late last night, busted their way inside the jazz club, which has been closed during the COVID-19 crisis.

The thieves used a crowbar on the cash register, but it was empty. Nothing else was taken from the bar.

The break-in at Khiladi on Avenue B



Khiladi, which serves South Indian cuisine on Avenue B at 11th Street, was another victim of the late-night break-ins throughout the neighborhood along with C&B Cafe and Alphabet City Beer Co., among many others.

Owner Sruthi Chowdary, who has been helping feed area families as part of the Neighborhood Food Swap during the COVID-19 crisis, said that she cried this morning as she surveyed the damage to her restaurant. The thieves made off an undisclosed amount of cash.



As she wrote in an Instagram post:

"Tears rolled down my eyes thinking how much more should I endure. The harder part for me was I didn’t know how to feel. I definitely wasn’t angry — I still feel there is justice to be served ... This happened to so many businesses in the neighborhood and we all don’t know how to feel about it. I'm scared and uncertain like many but I will not lose hope!"

She showed EVG contributor Stacie Joy, who took the photos for this post, the security footage from the break-in...





... those involved are the same as the seven-person team who broke into Alphabet City Beer Co. and many of the other neighborhood businesses, per security footage that Stacie has seen.

The aftermath of looting on the Bowery last night



Multiple businesses along the Bowery were vandalized and looted last night ...this is the aftermath from the group who had started fires and broken windows earlier on Third Avenue...

EVG contributor Stacie Joy looked at the damage at the 7-Eleven between Third Street and Fourth Street. The convenient store was looted...









Windows were smashed at the Sweetgreen right next door... it's unknown if anything was taken...



... Gemma was hit next door to the Bowery Hotel...



... there appeared to be looting at the Trek Bicycle Shop between First Street and Houston...



Other broken windows were spotted at the Crunch on Fourth Street...



... and the Whole Foods Bowery at East Houston...

Here's the moment of the break-in early this morning at Alphabet City Beer Co.



As the morning goes on, we're getting a better idea of the extent of last night's break-ins around the East Village. Alphabet City Beer Co., 96 Avenue C between Sixth Street and Seventh Street, was among the victims...



Owner Zack Mack told me the following: "They emptied our registers, took a bunch of iPads, ransacked our office, stole a bunch of security cameras in boxes, a few bottles of beer, and milk and OJ."


[Photo by Stacie Joy]

They also took money being collected for charity...


[Photo by Stacie Joy]

They have security footage of the overnight burglary. It starts at 1:46 a.m. They left at 1:55. The police arrived at 1:56.

This clip shows the five people breaking and entering ... each dressed in sweats, masks, gloves and backpacks (there are seven people total in the group as the video shows later) ...



... and later when they empty the cash register...



This team was apparently behind numerous East Village break-ins last night.

A broken window and burglary at C&B Cafe



Someone broke the front window and burglarized C&B Cafe on Seventh Street between Avenue A and Avenue B last night... another local small business that was targeted overnight.

Owner Ali Sahin documented the damaged in an Instagram clip this morning. He will have to remain closed today.

Restaurant windows smashed along Avenue A, St. Mark's Place



Reports are coming in about smashed windows along Avenue A between 12th Street and 14th Street... Christine Champagne took these photos, showing the damage at Au Za'atar, Baker's Pizza, Gomi and Planet Rose...







Witnesses say the damage was done by the "fake protestors" using the George Floyd rallies as cover for vandalism.

Updated

Jackflashnyc has photos of the damage at Caffe Bene at 13th Street...



... and Convive Wine and Spirits a few storefronts to the south, where looters took the register but not any alcohol...



Also:


Updated 8:15 a.m.

Riian Kant-McCormick reports that a window was broken at Empellón Al Pastor on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place...



More restaurant doors and windows were broken along St. Mark's Place, per Steven...





Vinny & O report that the front door at Desi Galli on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street was smashed...

More about the damage at B&H Dairy



As first reported yesterday, B&H Dairy was one of the Second Avenue businesses damaged by so-called "agitators" on Saturday night... someone broke the 80-plus-year-old lunch counter's front window...



In an Instagram post, B&H Dairy co-owner Ola Abdelwahed describes what happened around 10 p.m. on Saturday...

"I was in the restaurant. The protest came by and someone threw a big bottle in our window. They also broke the window at the bakery and set garbage on fire. I was scared. [Her husband and co-owner] Fawzy ran to the restaurant and stayed until it was not so crazy. Rafael and Hugo stayed until midnight. Mike and Leo are there and everything is OK, but we won’t get the new windows until [today], so Fawzy is spending the tonight in the restaurant."


B&H had been struggling to stay in business during the COVID-19 crisis. They reopened on May 16 for takeout and delivery. They also have an ongoing GoFundMe campaign.