The Jewish residents of New York City are taking matters into their own hands, using bolt cutters to reopen a park that was closed due to COVID concerns.
According to the New York Daily News:
The city welded a gate shut at the Middleton Playground in Williamsburg after the locks to the park were cut at least 25 times, Parks Department officials said. Hours later, workers removed the welding and replaced it with a chain, which Orthodox Jewish leaders cut Monday night.
The incident occurred just a day after Mayor Bill de Blasio allowed tens of thousands to protest in Brooklyn.
According to NY1, members of the community want their kids to be able to play outdoors.
"So, if there is coronavirus going on and people still have to social distance and there is a problem being in the park, the protesters pass by Williamsburg probably 20 times in the last two weeks. I don't see no social distancing, I saw thousands of people marching through. So, if there is still a Coronavirus outbreaks, why is it only on the parks? Why isn’t on the protestors?," one Williamsburg resident told NY1.
A similar scene played out on Tuesday morning as residents in Midwood used a grinder to open the chain and lock at Kolbert Playground.
Local leaders in Midwood use a grinder to open the chain and lock in Kolbert Playground, defying the city’s rule that playgrounds must remain closed due to coronavirus. They say kids need somewhere to play as we head in to summer. @NY1 pic.twitter.com/w3I6geJKEk
— Lindsay Tuchman (@LindsayTuchman) June 16, 2020