Residents of the Bensonhurst neighborhood in Brooklyn have been protesting against the proposed shelter for the homeless on 86th Street for 100 days. On October 24th, State Assemblyman Coton, along with his chief of staff Helen, City Council Member Wong Man-yee, State Assemblyman Zheng Yongjia, and others visited the protest site to express gratitude to all residents, volunteers, and supportive businesses involved in the protest.
Coton thanked every resident, volunteer, and business for their support on the site. He said, “On a future day, we will look back on this history.” He pointed out that the developer had previously failed two years ago due to community resistance and similar failures in other areas where homeless shelters were proposed. He emphasized that with the unwavering determination of the community, he believed that the struggle would ultimately end in victory for the residents.
Despite the approval issued by the MTA to the developer of the homeless shelter on the 21st, residents will now closely monitor the construction progress. Coton stated, “We will experience some small victories and setbacks, but we will continue to fight. The key is that we will not stop until this homeless shelter is stopped.” He stressed that with the community’s determination, he believed that the fight would ultimately end in a victory for the residents.
Council Member Wong Man-yee mentioned that the city government had built ten homeless shelters in Manhattan’s Chinatown, affecting local businesses. Many residents moved to Bensonhurst, a decision seen almost as an escape. She emphasized, “Building homeless shelters is the wrong choice. We have five schools and three senior centers here, and we must make the mayor aware of this and ensure that such things do not happen in our community again.”
She also shared a comment from a white resident in Bensonhurst who said to her at the city council, “You are making U.S. history here, protesting every day.” This made her proud as the actions of the Chinese community gained recognition from other ethnic groups in the surrounding area, believing that the unity of the community could bring about change.
At the “100 Days of Gratitude” event yesterday, Helen personally bought a lot of fruits, distributed them to the residents who persisted in protests, and especially thanked businesses for their support. She said, “Everyone has worked hard, rain or shine, hot or cold, for a hundred days without fail, which is truly not easy. Our community is respected because of these lovely volunteers.”
To defend their community, many elderly residents have consistently participated in protests at the site. 85-year-old Greek resident Nikolaos, who has lived in Bensonhurst since 1967, has been involved in the protest since the second day, now for 99 days. He said, “I am here every day. I am not afraid of the weather. The weather does not affect me. If you want to do something, just do it, with the determination that you would rather die than live without freedom, then you will win.”
Another 82-year-old Chinese resident, Mr. Li, has been volunteering at the site for nearly 100 days. He stated that everyone was voluntarily participating, not needing anyone to call them: “For the safety of the community, for the future generations to live in peace, even as the weather gets colder, we will persevere until victory is achieved.” He mentioned that near the D train subway station, there are kindergartens and schools, and if a homeless shelter is built, this quiet and prosperous community will be disrupted. The neighbors will not allow such a situation, and he believes that as long as the community remains united, they can stop the developer from building the shelter.
The protest has been going on for a long time, but the atmosphere at the site has remained peaceful, with various logistical tasks being well organized. In order to ensure the smooth progress of the protest, not only did businesses provide meals, drinks, protest signs, American flags, benches, and chairs, but volunteers also reminded everyone to stay warm, maintained traffic and pedestrian pathways clear, and provided voter registration services. The participants’ steadfast stance and collective action have filled this struggle with power.
State Assemblyman Zheng Yongjia and others emphasized that the fight is not over and will continue until the final victory. “We have become the vanguard of protest activities in the entire city,” Zheng said.