By Bill Parry
The founder of the inclusive St. Pat’s For All Parade was appalled when he found out a Sunnyside restaurant owner has been harassed for flying a gay pride flag since the march last month. Mike Murphy has been getting anonymous phone calls and mailings at his Murphy’s Lobster Grill, at 48-20 Skillman Ave., and the NYPD is now investigating.
“I received four mailings in the 10 days following the parade,” Murphy said. “At first I just thought it was strange, but then the phone calls started with a block on the caller ID — nothing very threatening just spooky.”
Two weeks ago he received a postcard with a message that said, “Hello Mike Murphy, Thank you for not breaking my virginity last night but your high wire stunt still needs improvement. Love, Amanda” and then another mailing with press clippings of the parade with his own business card in the envelope.
“That’s when it got personal, so I took it to the 108th Precinct and they sent the Hate Crimes Unit from downtown checking for vandalism or physical intimidation. The police are still investigating and monitoring the situation,” Murphy said.
Brendan Fay, the founder of the St. Pat’s For All Parade, said, “I am really shocked to hear this. I thought we had moved on from the dark days of 15 years ago when the businesses that supported our alternative parade faced frequent harassment from the begrudgers. I really thought we had moved past this kind of thing.”
Fay immediately called an emergency meeting of the parade organizers to discuss the matter and plan a response.
“It really is very serious because I thought we had evolved past the hate, especially in a community as diverse as Sunnyside,” he said.
Murphy refuses to take down the gay pride flag because of the harassment.
“The flag was never an issue with me because we don’t prejudge here,” he said. “My staff and customers are mixed, so why would I take it down? I’ve gotten tremendous support from the community and the whole episode isn’t affecting the business at the restaurant, so the flag is staying.”
Freelance Journalist Roger Hitts, a longtime Murphy friend and host of the weekly trivia night at the restaurant, said, “We are all very troubled for Mike.”
Hitts added that Murphy has become active in the community running fund-raising events with an association of other neighborhood bars and restaurants called The Skillman Project.
“He’s proven himself to be a great community resource: He pitches in and does his part, and then some, whenever a local organization needs assistance, “ Hitts said. “Malice walks hand in hand with stupidity.”
Fay said he and the St. Pat’s For All Parade organizers will develop concrete measures to make sure Murphy’s restaurant and the other businesses that are part of The Skillman Project don’t ever pay a price for supporting the LGBT community.
“The parade wouldn’t be what it is today without their unwavering support over the years,” Fay said. “We’re going to have our meeting, develop a plan and then we’re all going to Murphy’s Lobster Grill and order a ton of lobsters.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718.260.4538.
