Holding Down Manhattan, a group of 500+ NYC residents gathered at two locations in Manhattan on Nov 2 evening armed with legal weapons, including baseball bats and more vowing to protect NYC from looters. The groups patrolled Soho retail areas and the Upper East Side on foot, bike and other means.
The group met on Nov 2 and will meet on Nov 3 at 5 pm at Apple Soho- 103 Prince Street and 57th & Madison.
Many of the participants joined in Holding Down Brooklyn South during riots in the summer in NYC protecting areas of Brooklyn.
“We are here to protect retail stores in Manhattan as we find it shameful that NYC isn’t protecting stores, and encouraging them to board up. We will protect business and are here to defend only. Regardless of who is elected, stores cannot be vandalized. Shame on the Mayor of New York for not protecting us. People will not be attacking cops on our watch nor will we watch them destroy businesses,” said Ross Den an organizer of these efforts. “We have seen retail destroyed, and our city vandalized and will protect our city.”
