By outdoor-nature-child.com During a press event held by State Senator Qiu Yiwen to announce a proposal aimed at limiting city funding for homeless shelters, dozens of protesters gathered to voice their opposition. Some expressed their discontent with Qiu’s policies, raising homemade signs, blowing whistles, and using megaphones in an effort to drown out the conference.
The protest against the homeless shelter on 86th Street has now entered its 98th day. On October 22nd, starting at noon, demonstrators began to accumulate, holding signs supporting Qiu’s challenger, Chen Xueli, and banging drums to express their frustration. While some protesters wielded noise makers and whistles demanding Qiu’s departure during the event, police responded by setting up barricades to keep the crowd away from the conference center. Despite the precautions, some individuals were involved in scuffles, resulting in minor injuries.
The protesters maintained that their presence was entirely spontaneous, with signs and posters distributed on-site rather than orchestrated by any outside groups.
In response to the protest, Qiu Yiwen issued a statement questioning the intentions of her opponents, accusing them of attempting to disrupt the press conference in a “childish and irresponsible” manner. She condemned Chen Xueli for allegedly exploiting residents’ fears to further his own political agenda, suggesting he was using the 86th Street issue as a campaign platform without regard for public safety. Qiu noted that she had invited Chen to jointly sign a letter to Mayor Adams but faced refusal, indicating a lack of interest in genuinely addressing the issue.
Li Zhibo, president of the Bay Park Avenue Chinese Chamber of Commerce, asserted that the purpose of the conference was to announce new proposals and to address the loopholes in public-private joint efforts. He expressed disappointment over the confrontations, stating, “Regardless of the election outcome, I hope the Chinese community doesn’t become divided over this issue.”
After the event, Chen Xueli denied any allegations of organizing the protests, stating, “She witnessed residents voicing their real concerns.” He pointed out that he has been present in support of the people since the first day of demonstrations, questioning whether Qiu had genuinely engaged with the protest against the shelter.
One protester, Mr. Li, mentioned that local officials, including Assemblyman Cougton and City Councilwoman Zhuang Wenyi, had consistently shown up since the protests began, while Qiu had been notably absent, leading to suspicion that her interest was solely electoral. Linda, a volunteer distributing supplies, explained that a separate team had brought Chen Xueli’s posters and signs to the site, indicating they were not produced by the on-site group.
Another protester, Miss Zuo, who has been monitoring the situation alongside community residents, expressed her desire for a solution regardless of who wins the election. She also noted that the noise at the press conference had made it difficult for her to hear the proposals being discussed. In response, Qiu’s office stated that details of the proposals would be disseminated via WeChat and through visits to local businesses to keep the public informed of the developments.