The leaders of an anti-Israel community garden that demanded members take a pro-Palestinian pledge are whining in a new federal lawsuit they are the victims of “egregious viewpoint discrimination.”
Sunset Community Garden organizers claim in recently filed Central Islip Federal Court papers their license was revoked this spring as punishment for their “expressing messages of [Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] affirmation and anti-discrimination.”
The controversial Ridgewood garden came under fire in September, when Jewish neighbors told The Post they didn’t feel welcome due to the far-left, pro-Palestine rhetoric and mandate that new members pledge “solidarity with the oppressed and marginalized people” of Palestine by the garden’s management. The green space even had a special section called “Poppies for Palestine.”
Citing a breach of contract, the city Parks Department tried to oust the group by June 6, prompting garden leaders to quickly sue in state court. The legal action was then filed in federal court July 31.
The impending eviction left leaders of the garden at Onderdonk and Willoughby avenues with “emotional distress, and the loss of their community sanctuary,” they claimed.
Parks only came after them because of their “actual or perceived gender identities, sexual orientation, and/or race, and by the QTBIPOC-affirming nature of the Plaintiffs’ expressive conduct,” they insisted in court papers.
“While the plaintiffs go court shopping, it’s time for Parks to take action,” said Christina Wilkinson, a Ridgewood resident who worked to secure funding for the green space, but is now one of its most vocal critics.
“We live in a city that prides itself on its diversity, and our public resources shouldn’t be run by people who openly discriminate against any segment of the population.”
The latest filing also claimed that The Post’s coverage of the ongoing litigation has resulted in “violent online threats, including calls to firebomb its members and destroy the garden with poison.”
Garden leaders also claimed “six white men entered the Garden and aggressively interrogated and menaced two immigrant stewards of color” in September, just a day after their policy was exposed by The Post.
An NYPD spokesperson did not respond to emails asking if the alleged incident was reported to them.
In June, garden organizer Laura Merrick renamed Sunset Community Garden to Jardin de Santa Cecilia in honor of Latina trans advocate Cecilia Gentili.
The space is now home to a pair of “altars” honoring Gentili.
Jonathan Wallace, the garden leaders’ attorney, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The city’s Parks Department didn’t respond to requests for comment.
A Law Department spokesman only confirmed the city had been served with the new lawsuit.
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