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Video: SoHo Fur Vendors Arrested For Splashing Protesters & Pedestrians With Bleach
By
Lauren Evans
Published Dec 29, 2014
Modified Dec 29, 2014
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By
Lauren Evans
Published Dec 29, 2014
Modified Dec 29, 2014
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A trio of fur vendors was arrested last week for flinging bleach and ammonia across a bustling SoHo sidewalk. While their intent was clearly to nail a group of activists protesting fur sales, the perpetrators also ended up splashing chemicals all over several passersby, including a baby.
The incident occurred outside 520 Broadway just before 5 p.m. on December 20. According to DNAinfo, the three vendors—identified as David Haber, 53, Luis Justino, 40, and Lawrence Andrews, 35—tossed the chemical mix from the building's rooftop, allowing it to rain indiscriminately upon anyone who happened to be standing below. Police apprehended Justino and Andrews and they headed down the stairwell, apparently reeking of bleach and carrying garbage bags. Eleven bottles of bleach and ammonia were found on the roof.
All told, the bleach splashed at least four people, including an infant child, though no injuries were reported. The video shows cops ushering two vendors to their patrol car, which is...locked. A third perp is located, and the crowd goes wild. Someone eventually figures out how to unlock the patrol car, and the final vendor is stuffed inside. "You bleached a baby!" one disgusted voice screams off-camera. Dozens of fur coats are seen being tossed over a minivan, while a woman with a megaphone makes a shoutout to justice being properly served. "The animals have spoken today," she says.
According to NY Farm Animal Save:
The street vendors who sell fur once again tried to set us up. Not only did they plant a box cutter behind where we stand, they sent two of their guys up to the roof of the building we were standing in front of to pour bleach water down on us.
They didn't realize a police Sergeant had JUST arrived to respond to a call that we were blocking the door to Foot Locker. The bleach water rained down on the police officers, us, passers by and their own fur coats.
They immediately started to blame the protestors for pouring liquid on their merchandise and ruining everything but the police were told who to look for and where they could find them. A few minutes later, the police came out with the two culprits in handcuffs. Soon after that, a third vendor was arrested.
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Lauren Evans
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