Welcome to SoBro-Interview w/ Rebel Diaz pt1
by Davey D

A couple of weeks ago Rodstarz and his brother G1 of the group Rebel Diaz were beaten up and arrested by the police in what was once known as Fort Apache in the South Bronx.

The pair had witnessed NYPD from the 41st precint harassing street vendors who were selling fruit. Even though the vendors in question had all the proper paperwork in order the police were interrogating them, trying to find small infractions which would lead to them confiscating all their food and issuing steep fines up to a thousand dollars.

Rodstarz and his brother saw the cops going off intimidating one particular vendor and asked for their badge numbers. This led tyo the cops turning their anager on the Rebel Diaz and the rest they say is the sorted and oftentimes oppressive history of America.

We caught up with Rodstarz of the group Rebel Diaz who took us on a tour of the South Bronx where he lives and where the police act of terror took place

There he spoke about the condition of the community and the challenges everyone living there is facing. To start the South Bronx remains a community filled with poor people-mostly Brown folks from all over Latin America. Many earn of living, not by living on welfare which is the main stereotype, but by selling food on the street corners.

Unfortunately, the South Bronx is being gentrified. In fact in an attempt to make this notorious neighborhood seem safe, realtors and even local politicians now refer to the South Bronx as SoBro. It's their cheap way of giving rthe community a make over and make it appear as if the hood is somehow connected to SoHo which is home to Greenich Village.

During our interview Rodstarz introduced us to community organizers who underscored the points he was making. One sister named Lisa talked to us about how the police and local officials have started a campaign of harassment directed at immigrant vendors so that they would eventually leave the area. In short rich people now wannna live in the South Bronx and the money they are tossing around is leading to police brutality.

During our interview Rodstarz introduced us to the street vendor they had attempted to help. He was visibility nervous as police cruisers were watching him and us conduct the interview. The police cars would slow down as they passed in an attempt to intimidate us and espcially the vendor from talking too much. He already has to go to court and pay a thousand dollar fine, because police found the wheels on his court weren't properly aligned. Its a minor infraction that is hardly ever enforced, but now the vendor is paying a thousand dollars. In addition he has to make up for the 700 dollars worth of fresh food the police threw away the day they beat up Rebel Diaz. The vendor was upset because the food went to waste-Homeless people could've been fed.

We apologize for the wind and poor microphone which broke on us the day of the interview. At times its makes it hard to hear. Please bear with the inconvience as Rodstarz and our other guest have lots of compelling things to say.

Welcome to SoBro

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