Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Racist, Bigoted Street Vendor Is Very Mad At Everyone
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 7, 2011
Modified Aug 7, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 7, 2011
Modified Aug 7, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
It can't always be easy to be a street vendor—if they're not tumbling and tussling with each other for real estate, then they're probably trying to hold it in. It's a tiring job, you have to deal with lots of unsavory characters and you're probably not washing your hands enough. But that's no reason to throw the whole world under the bus, like Upper West Side vendor Mohamed Abdalla did today in a rant to the Post where he railed against all his enemies, including "homosexuals," "Jewish people," ignorant bureaucrats, "rich people" and freebie-seeking doormen.
Neighbors have been complaining about Abdalla to the Health Department, saying that he never leaves his spot near Central Park West on the corner of West 86th Street. Owners are required to leave their spots to scrub down their carts every day, but Reinhart Nitzl says that Abdalla is "there 24/7, day and night. It's a pig sty. I see that guy sleeping in there." But Abdalla says this is all just an anti-Muslim conspiracy: "The people at the Health Department are not educated, and it's a blessing to them that they get a job. When the Jewish people complain, they say, F--k Mohamed. Who's stronger?"
Abdalla says the Health Department has given him $20,000 in tickets, and the agency said it has issued the cart 72 violations since 2000, most recently for improper hand-washing facilities and serving foods that were spoiled or home-canned. While Abdalla seems unapologetic about his cart, he is furious at building workers who he says taunt him that he "works for bin Laden," and demand free coffee, pastries and hot dogs. When he refuses ("I told them this is not Iraq," he said. "I'm an American citizen."), they threaten to file bogus complaints with 311: "If you don't give us free, we're going to tell everybody that you have cockroaches in your coffee cup."
Abdalla, who is originally from Egypt, also doesn't have much time for gay people, especially one who he claims makes passes at his night worker. "The gay guy, he come and he want to make love to the man...and he touch his penis...I told him get the f--k out of here...We're Arab. We don't go this way."
Tagged
food cart
health department
street food
street vendor
Upper West Side
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .