Beef

Vendors Protest Cops on the Street-Meat Beat

While vendrification continues (witness yesterday’s launch of the Frites ‘N’ Meats truck), immigrant street vendors held a rally on Tuesday protesting what they believe is a citywide crackdown. A police spokesman denies it’s the case, but over at City Room, Jennifer 8. Lee points out that there has been an uptick in criminal summonses for things such as disorderly conduct (arising from vendor-on-vendor squabbling as well as brick-and-mortal businesses trying to push vendors off the street) and vending without a permit (vendors who have vendor licenses but not cart licenses are increasingly being thwacked with $1,000 fines). It’s an interesting article, but the best part might be this reader comment: “The guy I buy lunch from was hassled just last week by New York’s finest, right as we all stood there waiting for food! You have not seen angry New Yorkers until you mess with our gyro man — I thought those cops were gonna get hurt.”

Vendors Protest Cops on the Street-Meat Beat