Gargiulo’s wins praise for canceling Friends of NRA event

Coney Island eatery owners cite Parkland tragedy

March 2, 2018 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The owners of Gargiulo’s Restaurant announced that they were canceling a fundraiser by an NRA-affiliated group in the wake of the Parkland shooting. © Google Maps 2018

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The decision by the owners of an iconic Coney Island restaurant to cancel a controversial fundraiser organized by a group of fans of the National Rifle Association (NRA) was met with praise by elected officials and civic leaders who said the cancellation was recognition of the sentiments of the community.

Gargiulo’s Restaurant, which has served Italian meals at its West 15th Street location for more than 100 years, backed out of hosting a fundraiser for the Brooklyn Friends of the NRA that had been set to take place on April 12.

The fundraiser was to have featured a raffle in which rifles were to be the prizes.

The fundraiser and Gargiulo’s part in it had been widely criticized in the wake of the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead.

The shooting took place on Feb. 14. The suspected gunman, Nikolas Cruz, who allegedly opened fire inside the high school with an AR-15, was captured and charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder.

Councilmember Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island-Gravesend-parts of Bensonhurst) was one of several lawmakers and gun control advocates who lauded the decision to cancel the controversial fundraiser.

“We are extremely pleased that the owners of Gargiulo’s have heard and recognized the sentiments of our community and have agreed to cancel the NRA-sponsored event. We have worked hard to address gun violence in this neighborhood, and an event like this, particularly after the Parkland tragedy, was simply not in the best interests of our community,” Treyger said in a statement issued jointly with U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Public Advocate Letitia James, Comptroller Scott Stringer and state Sen. Diane Savino.

Minister Kirsten John Foy, northeast regional director of the National Action Network, also signed the statement.

Gargiulo’s has a strong history of community involvement, according to the statement from Foy and the elected officials.

“Gargiulo’s has a well-deserved reputation for being a key partner in the effort to revitalize Coney Island. During and after Hurricane Sandy’s devastation of our neighborhood, the team at Gargiulo’s generously supplied much-needed food and assistance, and was instrumental in helping many in our community recover. Gargiulo’s has been an important and supportive partner of the community for decades, and the decision to cancel this event shows that Gargiulo’s has heard and respects the concerns of our community,” the statement reads.

The eatery’s owners announced their decision on Thursday.

“As a long-standing member of the Coney Island community since 1907, the Russo family of Gargiulo’s Restaurant has provided a venue for thousands of community events and family celebrations. They have never had a national political issue land on their doorstep. They thank everyone for their interest in this important dialogue and have decided it best to cancel the event,” the statement read.

A few days before the cancelation announcement, Anthony Russo, an owner of Gargiulo’s, hinted that he was having a change of heart about hosting the NRA-related event.

“We’re trying to address the issue with Friends of the NRA. We don’t want issues with anybody. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims,” Russo told the New York Daily News.