BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — The plague of K2 brought dozens of protesters back on the streets of Bed-Stuy Tuesday, even as residents reported great improvements since a mass overdose there last month.
Members of the Doe Fund, a nonprofit providing assistance to the formerly homeless, marched from the corner of Broadway and Lewis Avenue to Myrtle Avenue, a corner dubbed by many as the epicenter of a K2 epidemic.
In the wake of July’s mass overdose that left more than 30 people vomiting and collapsed in the streets and the closure of a smoke shop suspected of selling the drug, protesters continued to call attention to the drug that's often dubbed "synthetic marijuana."
“We are here to fight together,” said Rep. Nydia Velazquez, adding her thanks to the NYPD.
“We have reclaimed — block by block, street by street — our community and we are going to fight everyone who comes here and thinks they can make a profit at the expense of our community.”
Protesters marched to Big Boy Deli, a bodega accused of peddling the drug and one of several raided by police, while chanting “No more K2” and “Just say no.”
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The NYPD filed nuisance-abatement actions against the deli at 930 Broadway and the smoke shop next door, and a judge signed an order temporarily closing the smoke shop in late July.
The parties were set to appear in court Tuesday but the case was adjourned.
“The NYPD has taken back the intersection of Myrtle and Broadway from the K2 users from all over the city who have created disturbances and negatively impacted the quality of life of the people who live and work there,” 81st Precinct Inspector Scott Henderson said, following the aftermath of the city’s crackdown at the corner.
“We will continue to aggressively pursue those individuals and businesses who illegally sell this dangerous substance.”
Workers at area businesses and locals on the commercial corridor said conditions have recently improved at the intersection, with a noticeable police presence.
“For the past two weeks I haven't seen anybody,” said Alex Rozelstein, manager of Easy Living Furniture.
“But before that it was a lot of people. It's unsafe because who knows? If they need the money they might start mugging people."
This week, officers were posted outside of Big Boy Deli along with an NYPD mobile command center and police van.
Another worker at a nearby 99-cents store, who declined to be named, said the block used to be “crazy,” but was recently “much better.”
Jay Johnson, 42, who grew up in the neighborhood, agreed that the corner had been cleaned up in recent weeks.
"I noticed for the most part, its straightened up totally,” he said.
