City Council Member Is Afraid of the 'Santafication' of Bushwick Coming Courtesy of SantaCon

Bushwick got some bad news this morning. SantaCon, the nightmare-ish roving pack of drunk Santas, will be paying a visit to neighborhood bars from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on December 13. The events wreaked major havoc on neighborhoods in years past, so City Council Member Rafael Espinal, Jr. is asking local bars to keep the Santas out. Espinal released a statement saying:

I understand the original idea of SantaCon was to celebrate the holiday spirit by raising money for charities and supporting local business owners, but over the years it has grown out of control and left participating neighborhoods in shambles. Bushwick is one of the hottest neighborhoods in the country because of its cool, low-key, diverse community, and we want to keep it that way. I think I speak for many of my constituents and bar patrons when I say that we're not ready for a 'Santification' of Bushwick.

I am urging all bar and restaurant owners to not participate in this holiday tradition. While the SantaCon organizers are promising an increase in revenue, I think it is safe to say that Bushwick is doing well without it. We should continue pushing for events like 'Bushwick Open Studios' that enrich the community, not exploits it.

As Gothamist points out, it's pretty unlikely that all the bars will shut their doors on Santa, but hopefully atleast a few will help fight the "Santafication."