4 OCTOBER 22, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
104th Precinct captain says ‘taking of people’s property is
not condoned’ in response to fl ag-burning Maspeth protest
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
AACEVEDO@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Captain Louron Hall, the NYPD’s
104th Precinct new commanding
offi cer, told QNS offi cers didn’t
stop protesters on Tuesday, Oct. 6,
from taking flags off of Maspeth
residents’ homes — which resulted in
them burning them — because they
didn’t witness it as it was happening.
“We were instructed to allow
people to exercise their fi rst amendment
rights, but also to make sure
no violence or vandalism took place,”
Captain Hall said.
The protest was scheduled to take
place from Brooklyn to Maspeth, and
had about 100 individuals marching
against police unions and QAnon on
Oct. 6.
Before the protest began, Captain
Hall said the 104th Precinct received
information that it would begin at the
108th Precinct and head toward the
104th.
That evening, the Jeff erson L train
station stop was being skipped while
police barricaded the exits and
entrances. Before the protest took
off , an altercation between maskless
police offi cers and a protester inside
of his pickup truck took place, which
culminated in the driver getting a
summons for leaving their car door
slightly open.
Throughout the march toward
Maspeth, where protesters claimed
President of the Sergeants Benevolent
Association Ed Mullins either lived or
had property, several police cars as
well as police on bikes trailed them.
Photo by Dean Moses
Captain Hall said that because police
offi cers trailed behind the protesters,
they didn’t witness when some of
them began to take the U.S. fl ags from
residents’ homes.
“I will tell you this, if offi cers would
have seen the actual taking of the
fl ags, they would have intervened in
the way they did when they set them
on fi re,” Captain Hall said. “The mere
burning of the fl ags, regardless how
poor it looks, is their fi rst amendment
right. But offi cers took issue with
it because of the danger it poses to
everyone.”
Before protesters could light a large
fi re, police on bikes swooped in, causing
the protest to disband.
The following day, many community
members expressed frustration
with the demonstration online, with
some noting that the protesters
went to the wrong house in pursuit
Queensboro Unico welcomes new members
Queensboro Unico celebrated Italian heritage and the legacy of Christopher
Columbuson Oct. 6 and installed two new members:
Renato Ferraro and Alfred Amico. The evening included dinner,
Columbus presentation, speakers & raffl e prizes. Pictured left to right are Gaspare
Mistretta, Queensboro Unico president; Anthony D’angelo, VP; Frank Palmeri,
B. O. D.; Renato Ferraro; Mike Mucaria, chairman of B. O. D.; Al Amico, past D. G.;
Joe Corsini; First VP Tony Nunziato; and D. G. Ellen Leone.
of Mullins.
Local Councilman Robert Holden,
who was mentioned that night for
not supporting calls to defund the
NYPD, took to Twitter to address the
protest.
“I will not allow anti-police rioters
to steal and burn the fl ags we proudly
display in front of the homes we
worked so hard to own. I proudly support
the NYPD and will continue to
fi ght for public safety and the quality
of life in our district,” he wrote.
Juan Ardila, who’s running for
Holden’s City Council seat, was also
scrutinized by some community members
for seemingly posting support of
the protest earlier that night. However,
Ardila later explained that he wasn’t
aware of the fl ags being taken from
residents’ homes in a Facebook post.
“Let me be clear: In no way do I support
these actions nor would I ever
participate in them,” he wrote on the
post. “Before the vandalism occurred
I posted a clip on my social media, as
I believe all New Yorkers have the
right to peacefully protest and have
their voices heard. However, upon
seeing footage of the behavior exhibited
by the protestors, I removed
it from social media as I do not condone
destructive behavior as a form
of protest.”
Ardila added, “Our communities
are crying out for change but that is
never an excuse for vandalism or harassment
of our neighbors in Maspeth
and throughout the district. Period.”
Captain Hall said his offi cers asked
community members to make a
report if their property was stolen,
but haven’t received any formal
complaints.
“The taking of people’s property is
not condoned,” Captain Hall said.
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