Local Businesses Terrorized By OWS

[Dave]

Its a shame that the OWS protesters are so disrespectful to other people... it would probably go a long way to wider acceptance of the general public if they were. Sadly, they apparently have the mentality that they deserve things... which they don't. I got a feeling that the Occupy encampments wont be around much longer, with winter coming in I think the cities will make the Occupiers finally go home as they don't want to be responsible for the protesters if a bunch of them froze to death. With the problems that have been arising at the different encampments of late, I don't see how the cities can do anything else but move the protesters along.

 

A business owner near the Occupy Wall Street encampment claims she has been repeatedly harassed and threatened with bodily harm by protesters after she and her employees refused to give in to their outlandish demands.

“I’ve been told, ‘Watch your back!’ 10 times,” Stacey Tzortzatos, owner of Panini & Co. Breads, located across from Zuccotti Park, told The Post yesterday.

She and her employees are terrified by the constant threats, which she said began after she demanded the protesters stop using her shop’s restroom as a place to bathe every day.

The final straw came about two weeks ago, when the demonstrators broke a bathroom sink, flooding the shop, and clogged the toilet -- setting her back $3,000 in damages.

TZORTZATOS

She put up a sign that said the bathroom was out of order, but they tore it down shortly afterward, she said.

PHOTOS: WALL STREET PROTESTS

“I have the police in here 10 times a day, [and] I’m the bouncer. I’ve been called the spawn of the devil. “It’s unbelievable what goes on in here every day, ” Tzortzatos said.

And on Friday, she said, a crazed squatter burst into the shop and demanded that workers fill a 10-gallon container of water.

When they refused, “he banged it on the ground and started yelling” and threatened the staff, she said.

“He said he was entitled to have it for free.”

Tzortzatos said the unsafe conditions begin at around 5 p.m. every day, when “they come from the park drunk, under the influence of something.

“They use one of our doorways as a bathroom, and we have to scrub it down every morning.

“I’ve had people come in here and yell, ‘Boycott! Boycott!’

“They unplugged my ATM machine and plugged in their computers,” Tzortzatos said.

Another businessman, who complained to The Post about the squatters’ behavior last week, said yesterday that the situation has since deteriorated, adding, “You don’t know the half of it.”

But the protesters appear to be digging in, erecting three of what will eventually be more than two dozen, 16-by-16-foot military-style tents that will help them stave off hypothermia in the coming winter.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/occupiers_terrorize_us...

[Willy]

Snide

I respectfully submit that you don't know what you are talking about. I can see that you are easily swayed in your way of thinking. If someone tells you that the moon is made of green cheese you no doubt would  believe it because you won't check into the validity of the claim  and you will only rely on what you hear. It's time to use your brain and really double check what you are saying. I've been to tea party rallies and have never seen any type of racists comments or attitudes. Tea party rallies concern themselves with reeling in Government control and fiscal responsibility. Where did you get  these ideas about the tea party? I bet from liberals and the liberal media. I challenge you to post proof to back up your statement.

[Dave]

You might be able to make a argument that the Tea Party is racist if it wasn't for the fact that a number of the higher ups in the Tea Party are actually minorities. If the Tea Party was actually racist, it would be strictly white.

[Willy]

Another thing about the Tea Party folks is that they are not calling for a revolution. They want to pull in Governments over reaching powers and want fiscal responsibility. The OWS or as I call them YOU"s [you owe us] group want to change America to a socialist type of society. These YOU's are mostly young, foolish and ignorant and with them they are joined by a  sprinkling of the old baby boomer hippies. These people have yet to grow up and they need to look around and see that socialism does not work. They are a bunch of pie eyed druggies.

[snide]

so your tea partiers have the right to protest, but the OWS crowd doesn't....? How Republican of you.......

[masonco]

Show me the damages to parks the tea partiers do. Show me the damages to structures and destruction of businesses the OWS crowds is doing compared to the damages and abuse you claim the tea partiers are doing.

 

Show me how the tea partiers are taking over parks and not allowing those who pay taxes and support those park to be safe in the parks.

[Dave]

The issue has never been whether or not the OWS have the right to protest, its been if they have the right to occupy anything for days and weeks on end.... they don't. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say anything about the right to take over public or private property. It does give us all the right to protest/free speech and the right to assemble.

[Max]

" It does give us all the right to protest/free speech and the right to assemble."

This may be nit-picky, but the Constitution does not give us any rights.  It only guarantees rights -- natural rights -- that pre-date the Constitution or any government.

[Willy]

Max

Absolutely correct. The constitution was drafted to protect the citizens rights not to grant them.

[Sweater Cows!]

I can't believe the cities have let these people stay in place. I think the cities are so afraid of not being PC (politically correct) that they are afraid to evict the groups.The cities need to have the Nat. Guard or someone come in and remove these people(in some cases). 

I definitely support the right to protest but the OWS groups have gone far beyond any sense of 'peaceful' protest. I have seen some video's of nice looking protests in some cities but others are despicable. 

it comes down to(for my standards at least)...If this is not a safe and secure event that I could take children to and have no fear of rape or robbery or murder then they need to be removed from the locations.

[Dave]

Bingo.... your a smart cookie!

[Dave]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I believe they have every right to assemble and protest... that's a right that everyone here in the USA has. They don't however have the right to take over public or private property. I have a feeling that when the occupiers finally do go home that if you went and knocked on their door and told them that you was going to occupy their bed that they probably wouldn't like that yet that's basically what they are doing, staking claim on something that isn't theirs.

[masonco]

It's called consequences for allowing children to not have to take responsibility...and after all having a child do dishes or sweep the floor is considered child abuse by some.