Officials contemplate 5th Avenue shutdown whenever Donald Trump is in town
Image timothygo_
If you thought it was inconvenient whenever President Obama came to town, under a Trump presidency, things are going to get much worse. The Daily News reports that law enforcement officials are mulling a shutdown of 5th Avenue whenever the president-elect decides to stay in his penthouse in Trump Tower. As many know, the area is one of the busiest commercial hubs in the Manhattan, a mix of mid- and high-end retailers, paying top rents and pulling in millions of tourists annually. Moreover, it is also home to thousands of New Yorkers, a handful of which who live in Trump Tower and are already fed up with the disturbances that have emerged as of late. Immediately after the 2016 election results were announced, Trump Tower was swarmed by protestors—and guards wielding heavy ammunition.
Exactly which blocks would be encompassed in the shutdown is not yet clear. The NYPD and Secret Service will will meet on Thursday to discuss how to better fortify Trump Tower, which was built pre-9/11 in the 1980s and would not be able to withstand attacks (there is already a no-fly zone in place). As we reported yesterday, Trump still hopes he can spend his nights and weekends in his cushy triplex while serving as President, so the shutdowns may become commonplace.
However, as the Daily News writes, “[The] top brass in the Police Department have argued that shutting down even a portion of one of the city’s major avenues would be a nightmare that ‘can’t happen.'” They are concerned not only with keeping Trump safe, but keeping things business as usual for all the residents, workers and visitors of the area. Moreover, retailers in the area are already suffering due to the volume of protestors taking to the streets. A complete shutdown will only make things worse.
One local also speculates that taking such an extreme measure would prompt even more demonstrations. “I’ve been protesting out here six months, most of it right in front of Trump Tower,” said Paul Rossen, a comedy club manager and anti-Trumper, to the paper. “All I can say is the balance between free speech and danger must be considered. Three blocks seems like a bit much. If that happens, they’re going to enjoy a lot more protests. I don’t see how that helps anyone.”
[Via Daily News]
RELATED:
