Rally to close bucket of blood nightclub

Woodside residents recently rallied outside the Phenomenon Night Club, calling on the State Liquor Authority (SLA) to close down what they called a crime-ridden club where five shootings and three deaths have taken place in two years. Most recently, Woodside resident Ernesto Salgado Jr. was killed outside the club two months ago, and so far, no one has been arrested for the murder.
&#8220We have to stop the violence for our children,” said Rev. Andy Torres, Pastor of the Hispanic Church of the Community in Queens.
Councilmember Eric Gioia, who organized the protest at the club, hopes to shutdown the club through the City's “Nuisance Abatement Law” in section 7-703(l) of the City's code. So far, Gioia and local residents have collected hundreds of signatures from community members who would like to see the club closed down.
&#8220This establishment has become a plague on our neighborhood,” Gioia said. &#8220There should be no place in our city where this type of reckless disregard for the law and for human life is tolerated. No other mother should have to bury her son because they walked into the wrong bar on a Saturday night.”
The club, which is situated near to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, has also received more than 20 violations between November 2003 and December 2005 - for &#8220lewd and indecent performances,” by women in the club, employing an unlicensed bodyguard, excessive noise, and refilling used liquor bottles.
&#8220This club is killing our future,” said a family member of a Woodside resident who was shot outside of the club and asked not be named. &#8220We are suffering from the loss of our kids. We are speaking out today, because we are a strong community and we care about our future.”