Street Vendors Left Hanging for Republican Convention

Less than two weeks before the Republican National Convention kicks off, area street vendors anxiously await word on whether they will be out of business during the event.“I’ve heard nothing from the city. I believe one day police are going to come and say go from here, that’s it,” said Sikdar Khair, who sells grilled meats, hot dogs, and pretzels next to Pennsylvania Station. “Those who are the big people, organizers of the convention, they don’t think about us.”The Police Department told The New York Sun nearly a month ago it would inform vendors within a couple weeks of plans to close most of the Madison Square Garden area for up to a week around the convention.Since then, a spokesman for the Police Department, Michael Coan, said police officers, community affairs officials, and local business associations have informed vendors.“The Midtown South precinct has gone around and spoke to them and they have distributed a flier,” Mr. Coan said. The flier, he said, explained street vendors would be out of business from August 29 through September 2 and specified streets.But vendors said they had yet to see a flier or be informed of plans.“I didn’t get any letters,” Mr. Khair said. “Nothing written, no police officer. Not even a police officer saying, ‘My boss said.'”“We don’t know what will happen. Rumors only,” said Alipio Castillo, who depends on the 50-odd hot dogs he sells a day to bring home about $350 a week. “There is nothing official.”An organizer with the Street Vendors Project at the Urban Justice Center, Sean Basinski, said, “What we’re hearing is nobody seems to know anything, so I wonder what this flier is.”The vendors group first approached the Police Department with a request for specifics on June 7 – Mr. Basinski says they still have not received their answer. “I would love to see that flier because we could get it out to the vendors too.”“I am just frustrated,” Mr. Basinski added. “Tell the vendors with some detail where and when they’re going to be allowed to stay there. Who will be moved and when. They’ve come out with some vague directives, but that hasn’t helped the people on the ground.”Government officials are beginning to take up the vendors’ cause as well. Rep. Anthony Weiner sent a letter to the mayor yesterday requesting specifics on their behalf. “Vendors haven’t gotten a straight answer about what they’re going to be able to do and when,” Mr. Weiner said. “I asked for them to clarify their position and also to advocate that they are part of the texture of New York and it certainly doesn’t create any kind of a security risk…. A pretzel on a street corner smothered in mustard is about as New York as anything the delegates will find.”The convention’s host committee has also been discussing solutions with the street-vendors group. “There has been an idea floated that the city could repermit or permit the vendors who normally operate in this area to operate in other areas,” said a spokesman for the committee, Paul Elliott.While the idea “floats” vendors around Penn Station yesterday said they were concerned about rumors they will be closed down for up to 10 days – and how they will provide for their families during that time.“Today is the 17th – 12 days before the convention – and I have no plan,” said the Penn Station vendor, Mr. Khair.

Street Vendors Left Hanging for Republican Convention

Street Vendors Left Hanging for Republican Convention

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