14 JUNE 25, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Demonstrators march through Middle
BY DEAN MOSES
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
On Monday evening, hundreds of
demonstrators gathered in the
Juniper Valley Park’s basketball
court located on 80th Street and
Juniper Boulevard North to march
through Middle Village in support
of the NYPD.
Over the last several weeks, thousands
of people all over the world
have protested against police brutality
aft er the killing of George Floyd,
demanding both justice and police
defunding. There are those, however,
who are lending their support to the
NYPD.
At 6:30 p.m. on June 22, NYPD backers
congregated on the sun-drenched
concrete clutching homemade signs
and brandishing American flags.
While many attendees practiced social
distancing by wearing face coverings
and using hand sanitizer, there
were also many who refused masks
when off ered and even berated others
for wearing theirs.
Before the event commenced, organizer
Phil Wong, who is also the president
of Community Education Council
for school district 24, explained his
reason for the public display.
“I feel that the looters, who I saw in
Queens Center Mall breaking windows,
had nothing to do with Justice
for George Floyd. The looters seem
to exploit this topic, they are here to
disrupt, they are here to start chaos,
and they are here to start their own
revolution,” he said. “And they know
how to do it. You get rid of law and
order and then they are in charge,
they will say what is legal and what
is not legal.”
The Queens Center Mall was not
looted, according to the commanding
offi cer of the 110th Precinct. On June
1, there were reports of a possible
looting, which caused the mall to be
boarded up with plywood and have
an increase police presence.
At 7 p.m. the rally, led by a police escort,
took to the streets of Middle Village.
Chants, most of which were led
by Charlie Vavruska, such as, “How
do you spell hero? NYPD!” and “Blue
Lives Matter!” echoed throughout the
residential community.
Former Assistant District Attorney
Jim Quinn, who was kicked off
the ballot for the Queens Borough
President race for only fi ling for the
special election and not the primary
election, joined Wong and two other
individuals in holding a banner that
read “We Support the NYPD.”
The demonstrators only grew in
numbers as locals left their homes to
join their neighbors. Their pro-NYPD
stance drew the ire of some onlookers
who heckled marchers by yelling,
Photos by Dean Moses
“Black Lives Matter!” and raising their
fists skyward to symbolize their
displeasure.
The exhibition commenced with a
fl eet of motorcyclists leading those on
foot back to Juniper Valley Park in the
twilight.
Additional reporting by Angélica
Acevedo.
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