Bayside Community Leaders Meet To Discuss Recent Bias Crimes

All the participants at the meeting, which was held at I.S. 158 at Oceania Street, expressed their dismay at the incidents. Mandingo Osceola Tshakah, president of Bayside Clear-Spring Council, told The Queens Courier he found it "appalling" that the crimes took place around a neighborhood with a racially diverse population."
City Council candidate Jerry Iannece also expressed his concern, saying these are "unfortunate, troubling events that should not be tolerated." Also at the meeting was Captain Kevin Fitzgerald of 111 police precinct-which covers Bayside as well as Little Neck, and Douglastonto talk about the incidents in detail.
As The Queens Courier reported earlier, the first bias incident took place at Byzantio Bar/Cafe, located at 45-30 Bell Blvd., on February 24th. The 20-year-old victim, George Saint Louis, the only African-African customer in the bar at the time, was allegedly harassed by several Caucasian men. Police says Saint Louis was told by his harassers, "you don’t belong in this neighborhood." At around 1 a.m., Saint Louis stepped out of Byzantio after the argument escalated and was assaulted by at least 6 men in front of the bar. He was treated at North Shore Hospital for his injuries and later released.
Police arrested two Whitestone brothers, Angelo and Giuseppi Gigliotti, and charged them with gang assault as well as robbery for taking the victim’s gold chains and $87 in cash. They are now released on $5,000 bail. Captain Fitzgerald said the 111 precinct is still actively working on the case to make further arrests.
The second bias incident took place exactly one month later. On March 24, Jaquin Ramirez, a 21-year-old Mexican/Indian male, visited the Voodoo Lounge, located at 47-29 Bell Blvd, with a white female acquaintance. Police says three white men approached Mr. Ramirez and told him that he did not belong there. The argument escalated and shortly before 1 a.m., Mr. Ramirez took out his three-inch pocket knife and stabbed all three men. None of the wounds were life threatening and the injured men, Chris Shaw, 31, Michael Saez, 25, and Burck Shultz, 20, were all treated at North Shore Hospital. Ramirez was arrested and charged with first degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
Despite their concerns, most participants at last weeks meeting seemed to agree that these two incidents are not representative of current racial relations in Bayside, which has a large African-American, Hispanic, and Asian population. Captain Fitzgerald told The Queens Courier that these bias crimes are isolated cases and do not represent any new criminal patterns in Bayside.
One suggestion made at the Bayside meeting to help prevent similar crimes in the future was to start a community interfaith council. Frank Skala, president of East Bayside Homeowners Association said this may be a good way to bring together members of different religious gro