Turn down the volume? Not for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. According to New York Post, de Blasio ordered the NYPD to ignore illegal street parties in Brooklyn prior to the West Indian Day Parade.
Party organizers had turned one of the converted yards into a raucous party scene dubbed Tiki Village, where “a post reporter observed cheap booze sold from plywood bars to the clubgoers.” Nigel Maloney, one of the organizers, claims that he attended a “three-hour planning meeting at City Hall last week” with city officials and representatives from NYPD and was assured that the party could go on.
“They told us to make sure it’s safe, make sure that your music wasn’t too loud make sure you have security, make sure that no children are being served alcohol,” said Maloney.
Unfortunately, things did not go so smoothly. The party on Monday led to a “near-fatal stabbing with a broken bottle, along with rampant public urination and vomiting.”
Both the NYPD and the mayor have denied allegations that they ignored the parties. “The assertion that the NYPD was told to ignore drunken booze-fest is not accurate,” said an NYPD spokesperson. “Allegations of illegal sale of alcohol brought to our attention are monitored and will be investigated.” The order was, allegedly, a favor to City Councilman Jumaane Williams (D-East Flatbush), but Williams has also denied his involvement. [New York Post] [Photo: Flickr/Michele Ursino]