Popular Seattle Restaurant Owner Ready to Leave Over Violent Homeless
Many Tri-Cities residents have dined at Main Street Gyros in Pioneer Square after a Mariners or Seahaks game. Soon, that may not be an option.
The owner, Hamza Albadan, is seriously considering moving his business out of the city over a growing number of incidents involving the tidal wave of homeless people. He says many are scaring off (and even threatening) his customers and himself.
Albadan was been pepper sprayed when he tried to shoo away a group of homeless people in the alley by his restaurant (he says they'd been scaring away customers). Another man who was sitting and partially blocking the door to his business pulled a knife when Albadan asked him to leave.
Calling 911 doesn't help, he says. It takes police hours to arrive and when they do they tell him the city has tied their hands.
Mayor Jenny Durkin's "welcome" policy towards the homeless has rendered police calls useless.
One of the homeless men told Albadan he'd been given $400 and a one-way ticket to get out of New York City. He said they told him to go to Seattle because they are welcoming everyone who is homeless.
Albadan says he and other business owners have heard from dozens of people who ask if they will deliver or cater because they're afraid to come by the restaurant.
He says after 3pm and later it's downright dangerous in that area.
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