One Reason Why You Shouldn't Litter

The NY Post reported a Manhattan man was allegedly beaten up by Fire Island police officers after he was taken in for littering. Sam Gilberd wasn't beaten up for littering, but rather for closing the station house door "in an offensive manner." He was punched and kicked until he was an unconscious, and his bladder ruptured. Gilberd is suing (of course), but his lawyer didn't have anything to say about the littering summons. So, when you leave the city, don't litter, don't madly flail your arms for a cab, and don't ask for the express because who knows what will happen.

It's a mark of how different crime is here versus Fire Island, if people are hauled in for littering. Someone told us she got a $50 fine from a police officer for dropping her used Metrocard on the floor as she was rushing to work; while the police officer was nice, he said he had to issue the fine because people slip on the cards. But, as an old city report noted, people are more likely to litter on a dirty street.

The Department of Sanitation has a litter basket request form, as well as a form for you to narc on anyone improperly placing refuse (like their usual garbage) in a litter can.

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By Jen Chung in News on September 20, 2005 1:10 PM

Comments [rss]

james

littering is one thing, slap a fine. How is it justified to slap around someone so brutally as they did to this young man. Slamming doors, is this cause for slamming this young man on the floor?

I am sure that this man was partially to blame, so instead cuff him and throw him into a cell, less brutally then they did on the police station floor. Put him behind bars for a night. Not in the hospital. No excuses for this kind of police behavior in America.

Todd

I know Sam. The Fire Island police nearly killed him. After puncturing his bladder they knew they were in deep shit. Instead of calling for a helecopter, which is what you do when someone has a punctured bladder, they put him on a boat to take him to a hospital so as not to alert anyone. This put Sam at serious risk of dying. Then when Sam's wife Kana wanted to ride on the boat with them, she was denied. My point: these guys weren't pissed about litter. They were pissed because they are giant fuckheads with little dicks who BECAME cops to fuck with people.

nexttogodliness

IslanderJack, stop yelling! We heard you, already... As for litter, I hate it! In NYC, so many people do it so casually. I just want to stuff them in slimy garbage cans...

Jen W

It's one of those little things that piss me off. There's no need to litter: you're just being selfish or careless. My mother always told me: "only trashy people litter".