Angry Manhattan Residents Lambast Zuccotti Park Protesters: "They are defecating on our doorsteps"
Infuriated lower Manhattan residents went ballistic on Zuccotti Park protesters at a chaotic Community Board 1 meeting tonight while blasting politicians for allowing the siege to continue without any end in sight.
"They are defecating on our doorsteps," fumed Catherine Hughes, a member of Community Board 1 and a stay at home mom who has the misfortune of living one block from the chaos. "A lot of people are very frustrated. A lot of people are concerned about the safety of our kids."
Fed up homeowners said that they've been subjected to insults and harassment as they trek to their jobs each morning. "The protesters taunt people who are on their way to work," said James Fernandez, 51, whose apartment overlooks the park.
Local resident Gordon Crovitz disagrees with representatives of OWS at a Community Board 1 meeting regarding the Good Neighbor policy between the Occupy Wall Street protesters and local residents.
Board member Paul Cantor said that residents are fed up with the incessant racket that emanates from the protest at all hours. "It's mostly a noise issue," he said. If people can't sleep and children can't sleep because the protesters are banging drums then that's a problem."
"They have to have some parameters," said Tricia Joyce, also a board member. "That doesn't mean the protests have to stop. I'm hoping we can strike a balance on parameters because this could be a long term stay."
The line to get into the standing room only meeting spilled out of the board's office and onto the street outside where Zuccotti sympathizers sparred with angry residents. One elderly woman told a protester to stop screaming and was met with an even hgiher volume. "Get some earplugs!" retorted David Spano. "This is the street. I can say whatever I want! I can't calm down, I've been struggling for 30 years!"
The meeting, which kicked off at 6:15 p.m., has already attracted several hundred people.