Current Events > NYPD arresting woman selling churros in subway draws outrage.

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/viral-video-nypd-arresting-woman-selling-churros-subway-draws-outrage-n1079471

Video of a woman being arrested as she was selling churros in a New York City subway Friday has drawn a critical eye on policing of the public transit service. Sofia Newman, a bystander, recorded the woman being arrested and posted the interaction on Twitter, where it has been viewed at least 1.8 million times. The unidentified woman, who was selling churros in the subway without a license, was taken into custody by what appeared to be four city police officers. Newman asked officers in the video why the woman was being arrested and pointed out that the woman was crying. An officer told Newman that it was illegal to sell food inside the subway. "Can she just go outside and keep her stuff?" Newman asked. "No," the officer said. In a now-viral thread, Newman said one of the officers mocked the woman and rolled his eyes at her after she tried to speak in Spanish to another officer. "No matter what the law says, there is no reason why that many officers needed to encircle, demean, and police the poverty of that woman of color," Newman wrote. "It was an abuse of power, and yet another example of how broken our system is."

The New York Police Department said in a statement that the arrest was a response to numerous complaints about unlicensed vendors at the Broadway Junction station in Brooklyn because of to health concerns. Police said the woman in the video had received 10 summons in the last five months for unlicensed food sales at the Broadway Junction stop. She was told in English and Spanish that she would be given a summons during the arrest Friday and that her cart would be taken for evidence, according to police. "She refused to cooperate and was briefly handcuffed; officers escorted her into the command where she was uncuffed," the statement said. "Her property was vouchered as arrest evidence and she was released within minutes." New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer tweeted Newman's video and said the incident raised "serious questions" about increased police presence in the subways. "This kind of enforcement doesn't make anyone safer," Stringer wrote. Stringer's criticism was echoed in statements from other city officials, including City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. "Over-policing our subways isnt going to solve anything," Johnson said on Twitter. "We can keep the subway safe without harming people just trying to earn a living." City Council member Brad Lander tweeted that subway policing "shows how cruel & corrosive criminalizing poverty is." "We dont want to be a city where we pay public servants to arrest churro vendors," Lander said. "But we are. Thanks @SofiaBNewman for standing up for her, and our better selves."

https://twitter.com/SofiaBNewman/status/1193038094028754944
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If it illegal to sell food in train stations those people who be selling welches food snacks in the trains need to start getting locked up.
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I've bought a churro before from that woman. These vendors have been in the stations for years, surprised to see the police finally cracking down.
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The Admiral posted...

I've bought a churro before from that woman. These vendors have been in the stations for years, surprised to see the police finally cracking down.

Yep same. I would see her on the train all the time.
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I wish the train stations I frequent had ladies like this. NYPD continues to show why they are the poster children of over zealous police departments

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no love for the little guy. Uncle Sam wants his cut
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wtf? everyone loves churros.

dont the cops have ACTUAL crimes to solve?
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Lebronwon posted...

Police said the woman in the video had received 10 summons in the last five months for unlicensed food sales at the Broadway Junction stop.

Well there you go.

Turns out she was into brujera they found trace amounts of menstrual blood and finger nails in the dough she was using

looking for the link, brb

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me: ok
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The Admiral posted...

I've bought a churro before from that woman. These vendors have been in the stations for years, surprised to see the police finally cracking down.

The Admiral, openly admitting he supported an illegal vendor and, as he purchased it, also confessed that he had violated the law?

We're not talking about some dumb mail fraud scheme or hijacking here. You bought a churro!

>.> Okay, now that I got that joke out of the way, I'm guessing they were big and tasty, gosh I could go for one. My dad died last week and I remembered that free churro joke from Bojack Horseman and I've kinda wanted one since.

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spudger posted...

wtf? everyone loves churros.

dont the cops have ACTUAL crimes to solve?

One of the comments is something along the lines of "Cool, I didn't know New York had solved all their murders."
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gunplagirl posted...

Okay, now that I got that joke out of the way, I'm guessing they were big and tasty, gosh I could go for one.

Yeah, they're really good. Obviously not healthy, so I wouldn't get them often, but I would buy them if I was in the mood. I remember this woman specifically from the L train stop.
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R1masher posted...

Turns out she was into brujera they found trace amounts of menstrual blood and finger nails in the dough she was using

looking for the link, brb

If true, brb going to vomit

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The Admiral posted...

I've bought a churro before from that woman. These vendors have been in the stations for years, surprised to see the police finally cracking down.

What took them so long then? I thought transit cops had nothing to do except bust people for eating, panhandling, or blasting their music for the whole train to hear.

Annihilated posted...

The Admiral posted...

I've bought a churro before from that woman. These vendors have been in the stations for years, surprised to see the police finally cracking down.

What took them so long then? I thought transit cops had nothing to do except bust people for eating, panhandling, or blasting their music for the whole train to hear.

She's apparently been busted several times already.

Think I've seen her before
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On the one hand arresting her seems unnecessary, but at the same time we have health code laws for a reason. Idk why they couldn't just issue a fine or a warning.
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justaguy3492 posted...

On the one hand arresting her seems unnecessary, but at the same time we have health code laws for a reason. Idk why they couldn't just issue a fine or a warning.

Article did say she had a bunch of warnings already.
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LightHawKnight posted...

justaguy3492 posted...

On the one hand arresting her seems unnecessary, but at the same time we have health code laws for a reason. Idk why they couldn't just issue a fine or a warning.

Article did say she had a bunch of warnings already.

Admittedly didn't read it >.>. I'm usually pretty anti police, but in this case I'm not all that outraged. I don't think anyone wants to go back to the wild west of unregulated food.
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