$1,000 tickets for licensed street vendors are unduly harsh under any circumstance. But especially when the system under which they are heard is so much of a kangaroo court. This tape, of an ECB hearing for Mohammed Shafiqul Huda (left), shows what kind of travesty of justice can occur.
What are the problems here, apart from the general rude treatment Huda receives? 1) he clearly needs an interpreter and was not provided one, 2) he says he wants the officer to come, only to be talked out of it by the judge, 3) he in fact had a defense, that he was not vending at the time but had only gotten there 10 minutes before and was waiting for the street to open up at 6 pm, but was not given a chance to present it due to his lack of English and the judge’s leading questions. The fine? $750. SVP is appealing the case. Albor Ruiz of the Daily News covered Huda’s story here.
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