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So Philly has decided to regulate the use of bullet proof glass in Conveniencestores. This seems like some real government overreach. I don't understand why they would enact legislation like this. Note over 90% of the businesses impacted are Asian American and the neighborhood is mostly nonAsian so it appear that the Asian community is being targeted or at the very least they feel that way.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/crime/beer-delis-plexiglass-windows-council-bill-20171130.html
Sae Kim, who owns Broad Deli on Broad Street near Susquehanna Avenue in North Philadelphia, said his business has been threatened numerous times but never robbed at gunpoint, crediting the bullet-resistant window as a deterrence.
JULIE SHAW/STAFF
Sae Kim, owner of Broad Deli, on Broad Street in North Philadelphia.
Before his family took over the business 20 years ago, the prior owner’s son was fatally shot when there was no partition, Kim said.
About 15 years ago, Kim said, a man with a knife tried to rape his mother-in-law but she was able to escape to safety behind the partition and lock the door.
“Basically, they’re telling us either to do away with the glass, knowing you could be endangering your life and employees, or shut down the store,” said Kim, 46, who was born in South Korea and came to Philadelphia when he was 10. “Who’s going to be responsible when we see body bags going out of these establishments?”
Bass said she certainly isn’t aiming to put lives at risk.
“I would never want to be part of a bill that would put somebody in jeopardy,” said Bass, whose district includes Germantown, Nicetown, Tioga, Logan, and parts of North Philly. She said the proprietors could hire security guards and install surveillance cameras.
“These businesses in particular have skirted and flouted the law for years,” said Bass.
She said the bill stemmed from constituents’ complaints about stop-and-go stores being nuisances that sell alcohol nearly round the clock.
“My interest is to see restaurants where a family can go down and have a meal,” she said, adding that she has been “flabbergasted” by the image of workers serving food through a window as if customers were “in prison.”
Councilman At-Large David Oh said he is not against Bass’ effort to regulate nuisances surrounding beer delis, but has concerns about ordering owners to remove the windows.
“I would just prefer the bulletproof glass, it’s transparent, as opposed to the person with the gun on the holster on the hip,” said Oh.
Meanwhile, Councilman At-Large Allan Domb said Thursday he has to learn more about the issue. Safety is his top priority, but there should be some way to make the windows look “cosmetically better,” he said. “A compromise is a win for everybody.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated Dec. 11, 2017, to remove the word “plexiglass” to
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