Murder at the Fish Market
Yo that murder at the old Fulton Fish Market was so much more gruesome and horrifying than I knew last week. Here’s some bando-specific highlights from the Post’s reporting:
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, it became a veritable homeless hotel that the city is now rushing to demolish after Sanchez’s murder, a worker from the city’s Economic Development Corporation, which oversees the property, told The Post.
“Late February we evicted over 20 people from this building in one shot,” a police source said. “We found all these bedrooms. It was disgusting, terrible living conditions… There was a canoe in there. It stunk like you wouldn’t believe.”
I’ll admit I hadn’t been to this spot since late last fall. It makes sense people would squat there over the winter: the building contained a ton of identical small rooms that used to house the offices of various fish dealers. Some of them still had doors, making them somewhat easy to secure.
During the warmer months, the whole building was infested with roaches and other small bugs. It was seriously gross. I could see people moving in there for winter though, when there would presumably be fewer creepy crawlers.
The revelation that the city EDC (a pretty garbage agency) is in charge of this building isn’t surprising. What is sad is that they seem to be rushing to get it demolished now. Despite what happened, this structure is still historic, and perhaps one of the last non-repurposed industrial pier buildings within Manhattan. it never should have been let rot as it did, though it does provide an apt metaphor for NYC’s political class, and how poorly they manage the people’s property here.
Fear and Stupidity in Cincinnati
There has been another article published about Isaac ‘driftershoots’ Wright’s arrest, and it contains this fun line: “While prosecutors and police have said they have no way to know his true motives, Wright said that for him it’s therapy.” What does the DA’s office not understand about his motives? Exactly what do they think he was doing? And if he were white, would they be thinking it?
He is still being held on $400,000 bond—for the hideous crime of… climbing a few things? Seriously? In New York state, trespassing is a ‘violation’. It’s not even a real crime. Are the cops in Cincy really this bored? Haven’t they heard of Candy Crush like their NYPD pals?
As I’ve followed this story I’ve become more and more convinced that this case has little to do with the crimes in question. A gun-ho cop decided to stalk Drift, fabricated a whole fantasy story that this military trained black man is a huge threat to society. With this copaganda in hand, they got a ridiculous arrest warrant and initiated a hollywood style arrest—all in order to ‘make an example’ out of someone whose art implies what a farce security and law enforcement truly are.
If Isaac was truly this mysterious Bond supervillain criminal that prosecutors are trying to make him out to be, he would not have a social media account at all.
Anyway. This whole ass case inspired me to write to the Judge with a character reference letter. IRL I’m a design teacher. I meet hundreds of creative souls per year. As such I like to think I’ve got a sense for good productive people with solid futures, and those who stumble through life. Isaac didn’t strike me as a stumbler, or as a dishonest person.
If you’ve met Drift, or are even just a fan of his work, drop the Judge in this case a letter via snail mail (address below). Be respectful, and know that by doing this, we are going to flood that courtroom with letters of support, and in doing so make the prosecutors look like the misguided, overzealous, dare I say racist fools they are.
Drop that letter to: Judge Lisa Allen. 1000 Main St. Room 510, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Shorty’s Short Shorts
YOOOOOOOO. A man was found murdered in a lesser-known Gary Indiana ‘bando that I visited two years ago. The victim was 18 years old and shot multiple times. The bando itself is a super gritty former factory, with loads of abandoned vehicles and crap on the property. We definitely got the vibe that it was being used for crime.
SoCal is drilling test holes and getting ready to build a new, two mile rail tunnel to replace a route that is precariously placed on a crumbling shortline.
St. Louis has an amazing abandoned court building and some news crew got to explore it. At least there’s some chance it might not be demolished, unlike this nearby old combination hospital and hotel tower. I’m at the waiting room, I’m at the hotel pool, I’m at the combination… ok I’ll stop.
The Millennium hotel in Cincinnati is about to be demolished because no one wants to visit that cop-filled town anyway.
Here is more on that massive new drain tunnel Seattle is building because DrAinOrz need a new habitat please think of the drain0rz those folks need help. 😛
Bando BBQ
Two homeless persons were arrested for allegedly starting a fire in a ‘bando warehouse within CP Rail’s Strathcona yard in Edmonton.
A building on an abandoned golf course in New Orleans burned up and nature is healing for sure. Fuck golf.
A large abandoned apartment building in Camden (NJ) burned up last week. That town has problems. Like, serious problems.
Three migrants in Greece died in a bando building fire. RIP bando travelers. Perhaps some day none of this will be necessary: “Thousands of migrants and refugees make their way to Greece each year from nearby Turkey. Some apply for asylum in Greece, and others try to make their way further north to other European Union countries using smugglers. Many end up sleeping outdoors or squatting in abandoned buildings.”
International Update
Brits are so bad at keeping their asses clean that a water company is now installing monitoring devices to detect fatbergs.
(Yes, I’m sorry, I should make less jokes about the english but decades of repression will do that…)
I do love this “clandestine network of medieval tunnels” found under a welsh garden. BRB I’m about to go dig up my garden and see wtf is down there. Hopefully tunnels filled with Possums.
And that’s a wrap…
So much grim news this week, with these dead bodies found in ‘bandos. It is always worth remember: bad things can happen in bandos, We all sorta take that fact lightly these days but back in the day, this was very much the norm. Homeless people were hostile towards anyone on their turf, and drug addicts looked at anyone with a camera in their ‘bando as nothing but a pile of crack rocks. It’s super basic to say, but never let your guard down around strangers in strange places.
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What are drainOrz? and bandos ?
Drainers: people who love exploring drains. Bandos: abandoned buildings.