NYPD arrest woman selling mangoes

Don't sleep in the subway, darling. Don't sell mangoes there, either. That could land you in jail.

Under Mayor Cop Eric Adams, the New York Police Department is unable to stop people from shoving other people in front of oncoming trains. But by golly, they can halt the peddling of fruit at the subway station.

Horrific treatment of Maria, a mother, immigrant entrepreneur & her *daughter* who filmed

Earlier this week, Maria was arrested for selling mangoes & kiwis to customers she's served for 10+ yrs

Shame on our city for choosing cruelty, instead of supporting hardworking mothers pic.twitter.com/sjonO5FMjM

— Street Vendor Project (@VendorPower) May 7, 2022

The woman claims she has been unable to get the permit to peddle.

Note: Maria has a food vendor license (pays sales taxes, passed DOHMH food safety courses) but no permit to vend - but it's not for lack of trying

A cap on # of permits in place for ~40yrs makes it nearly impossible to get one, hurting NYC's smallest bizhttps://t.co/oMRfBQJTrX

— Street Vendor Project (@VendorPower) May 7, 2022

All I know about permits in big cities is that it is not what you know but who you know. I am not saying she should try bribery but other more knowledgeable people might suggest that.

Fortunately the mango story drew scorn. The New York Post reported, "New York City’s soaring crime rate is no laughing matter — but John Mulaney is quick to quip about Mayor Eric Adams’ questionable crackdown on illegal behavior.

"The comedian took to the stage at the Robin Hood benefit on Monday night, skewering Adams after the politician defended the arrest of a woman selling mangoes in a Brooklyn subway station.

"Mulaney blasted Adams — who was sitting in the audience at the swanky event — for targeting low-level offenses, while major crimes, such as felony assault and burglaries, continue to surge.

"Earlier on Monday, Adams said the NYPD was right to cuff and search the female mango seller because street vending could lead to more nefarious offenses."

I get the Broken Windows approach to crime. Rudy Giuliani proved that approach worked as he cleaned up the City that Never Sleeps in the 1990s.

But that only works if those accused of violent crimes and major felonies remain in jail awaiting trial.

All this does is show a certain heartlessness.

Adams told reporters that selling mangoes at the subway station will lead to bigger things.

He said, "You just can’t do that. Next day, it’s propane tanks being used on the subway system. The next day, it’s barbecuing on the subway system."

Why not say selling mangoes will lead to missile launchers because it is just as inane to state. The problem with his analogy is the woman has sold mangoes there for years and as far as I can tell no propane tanks or barbecues have followed.

Mulaney mocked the mayor on stage, saying, "No guns, no crime, no barbecues on the subway! Better schools, better transportation, no more volleyball games on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway!"

You know, underground barbecues might make subways safer if properly ventilated. It would make people happy and the barbecue people's presence would keep evil doers from doing evil.