Pol returns to deli on Staten Island to tout bill to make assault on retail workers felony

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Returning to a popular deli in West Brighton where a worker was attacked a year ago, state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton announced on Thursday the inclusion of her bill making an assault on a retail worker a felony in the New York State budget.

The press conference was held in front of Bagels Bread & Butter (3Bs) at 732 Forest Ave.

Flanked by local business owners, and members of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation, Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore/South Brooklyn) shared that legislation derived from Senate Bill S5479 had passed as part of the state budget.

This measure ultimately makes the offense of assaulting a retail worker a Class E felony; those convicted may face up to four years in prison.

“Today’s announcement represents a milestone in my ongoing commitment to ensuring the well-being of our retail workers and protecting our small businesses from violent theft,” Scarcella-Spanton said. “A little over a year ago we stood here after yet another assault on a worker here at 3Bs to say that enough is enough and I introduced legislation that would increase the penalty for assault of a retail worker to a felony. Everyone has their neighborhood deli or bodega that they go to where the workers are like family; this is mine. And we are here to reaffirm our commitment to their safety and the safety of all retail workers across the state. Throughout the pandemic, we relied on our retail workers as essential workers — often working unconventional hours in small businesses owned and operated by neighbors in the surrounding community. In this budget, we send a message to retail workers that we support them and that their lives are valuable.”

Back in early 2023, a worker at 3Bs was assaulted during a robbery. Just a few weeks later, the business fell victim to an attempted robbery and assault in which two people broke the front door. This pair of incidents sparked a response from local elected officials and prompted Scarcella-Spanton to draft up bill S5479.

“Jessica did too much for us and especially after that incident happened, and she was working since that time on this thing,” Zafar said.

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