DENVER (KDVR) — There is more fallout from the officer-involved shooting on Larimer Street almost two weeks ago. Food truck owners are being told their permits to park at meters and work there are being revoked because of safety concerns.
Thursday is the last night this week that food truck owners can park on certain blocks in Lower Downtown Denver. They said that’s going to affect their bottom line for potentially the next two weekends.
Foot traffic near 19th and Blake streets is good to Osama Abdoon. It generates business for his food truck, the Gyro King.
“It’s very good. It covers our expenses, it covers our living,” Abdoon said. “We have kids, we work hard for our kids, for our family.”
Where will LoDo food trucks go after order to move?
After the officer-involved shooting on Larimer after midnight two weekends ago, he was told his permit to park on the same spot and sell food is being revoked.
“Police and the city, they want to kick us out from here,” Abdoon said. “We don’t do nothing, they say for safety, but we don’t do nothing.”
The City and County’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said Denver Police instructed them to revoke the permits at least this weekend and possibly next weekend because of safety concerns.
“There is people, they have a fight on Larimer, some of them carry guns, but we don’t have an issue about that,” Abdoon said.
The only thing in his hand is a spatula he uses to feed customers and provide for his family
“I feel bad, even I can not sleep, I can not think about what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Abdoon said.
That order from Denver does allow the food truck owners to park at certain meters north of 22nd or south of 18th, but they said that’s too far to generate the kind of income they would get from their normal spots.
Friday afternoon, the Denver Police Department sent the following statement to FOX31:
“The Denver Police Department recognizes that relocating food trucks may initially cause disruption for the food truck vendors. However, to increase safety for all who visit and work in the LoDo area, including the food truck vendors, DPD believes that having them operate in a different location is a solution to help facilitate people leaving downtown during the out-crowd and to curb large gatherings, during which DPD has seen conflicts and violence.
“The department has been engaged with City partners for some time to find solutions to create a safer environment while being mindful of business operations. This current move is for overall safety in that area and it was not prompted by the recent officer-involved shooting incident at 20th and Larimer Streets, though it renewed conversations about ways in which the City could enhance safety. Moving forward, this may be a permanent change as the City works to find a solution to alleviate crowding and safety concerns and find the vendors a place to operate.”