July 27 2023 – QUEENS, New York: Local residents and officials gathered in protest outside multiple locations in Queens, to speak up against migrant “Tent Cities” and migrants placed in other locations in Queens in upcoming weeks.
At 1pm a rally was held across from a SNAP office in Queens on Thursday afternoon. The protesters were demanding that “Tent City” does not go in that neighborhood, “Put them where they belong”. Tents are expected to be built on Creedmore Hospital grounds, allegedly to house 1000 single male migrants.
The group rallied across from the SNAP center before marching across the street where several of the members of the group tried to enter the SNAP office grounds but were denied. Some of attendees temporarily tried to block vehicles from exiting the location before eventually letting them pass.
At the same time as the protest, Linda Lee, City Councilwoman, held a press conference inside the SNAP offices, along with other officials.
“This is a difficult situation where people are being brought in and we as the city have to figure out where to place them” – Linda Lee said as she explained why the Creedmore was not a good place to house migrants. Officials spoke on lack of transportation, fear of SNAP elderly residents and visitors and unsafe conditions for migrants themselves.
“We don’t know if they are doing background checks, if pedophiles are allowed in the school zone ” – woman confronts city councilwoman Linda Lee during Migrant Tents press conference.
Later in the night, at 8pm, City Councilwoman Vicky Paladino held a rally outside College Point school in Queens.
“They are arriving starting tomorrow” — City Councilwoman Vicky Paladino announced that buses of migrants will start arriving tomorrow to St Agnes school
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