Port Jeff Ice Cream Shop With 'Impeach Cuomo' Sign Vandalized

PORT JEFFERSON, NY — A woman this week vandalized a banner hanging over Roger's Frigate, an ice cream shop in Port Jefferson, Suffolk police said. The banner, criticizing Gov. Andrew Cuomo, reads "Impeach Cuomo."

She spray-painted the sign Wednesday afternoon, a day after it went up, said Roger Rutherford, the store's general manager. The woman is wanted for criminal mischief after police were called.

The banner was posted by owner George Wallis. Rutherford said he supports its message and the graffiti incident was "obviously political" in nature.

"[The woman's] opinions are obviously different from what’s on the banner," Rutherford told Patch. "That’s her way of protesting: trespassing on private property and defacing. I’ve said from Day One, I do not want to see a little old lady get thrown in jail. But when someone defaces and trespasses on private property, there should be some accountability."

In a video taken by Rutherford, he appears to confront the woman and tells her she vandalized private property, to which she responds, "Oh, give me a break." Rutherford then tells her he'd be calling the police.

Video courtesy Roger Rutherford

Rutherford said the woman tried to spray him in the face twice, though he said he doesn't plan on pressing charges for that — only the graffiti.

"I’m not going to go after her for trying to spray me in the face, because I ducked, ran and hid as much as I could," he said. "None of the paint got on me, thankfully, or in my eyes for that matter, because she pointed right at my face. I didn’t get hurt, so I’m willing to let that go. What she did, damaging Wallis’ property, is not right."

Footage captured by the store's camera shows the woman near the banner, with Rutherford showing up a few seconds later. He walks alongside the woman, who appears to point her can of spray paint at him. Rutherford then appears to start recording her with his phone.

Video courtesy Roger Rutherford

Roger's Frigate took the sign down after it was painted on and sent it to get repaired. The banner still reads "Impeach Cuomo."

Cuomo in mid-March issued an executive order banning sit-down service in all state restaurants, as well as casinos, gyms, and racetracks. The order was made to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. While Long Island was allowed to begin the first phase of its reopening Wednesday, restaurants are not allowed to offer sit-down service until the third of four phases, which is still an indefinite period away from being enacted.

"I speak to businesses in the area on a daily basis, and I’m hearing some very horrifying stories that many of our businesses in this community are on the brink of going out," Rutherford said. "If we don’t get businesses in the area open up quickly, we’re going to face devastation."

Five New York regions are allowed to begin Phase 2 of their reopening, which includes barbershops and hair salons, Cuomo said Friday. Long Island didn't make the cut, however.

Rutherford pushed for businesses to be allowed to offer outdoor dining, and said it's contradictory that the state is allowing people in parks and supermarkets, but not restaurants.

"The restaurants that I’ve spoken with have all said they are confident they can operate their outdoor dining in safe manner," he said. "For that reason, I’m supportive of the message, because I don’t believe the governor is doing his job. I think he’s causing more destruction by keeping us locked down for such a long period of time."

Suffolk officials are looking to "accelerate" outdoor dining across the county. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced Thursday he would be issuing an order that would allow the Suffolk County Health Department, in cases where restaurants are expanding their seating into outdoor areas that were not currently permitted, to grant automatic approval on the local level.

"They have been devastated already and they are looking to expand their business activities and get things going," Bellone said.

Rutherford criticized what he called the state's "one-size-fits-all" policy regarding which businesses are allowed to grant access to people during the outbreak.

"They’ve had plenty of time to make changes to that policy," he said. "We are suffering because of that one-size-fits-all policy. The non-essential in essential categories is what I’m talking about. We would like to be open as quickly as possible. There are a few businesses that have already went out of business, and I’m really concerned there may be many others to follow."

Roger's Frigate has been serving up ice cream and candy in Port Jefferson Village for 30 years; Rutherford has been with the shop for 20. While the confections shop is open for business, Rutherford said sales are "nowhere near" what they normally are at this point in a given year. It's a result of many businesses in the village being locked down or not operating, he said.

"Someone told me a long time ago that we all feed off of each other," Rutherford said. "I’ve never forgotten that it’s just as important for the survival of the store across the street as it is my existence here. That’s something that resonates, and I think of that in our current situation. Yes, I am open for business, but we’re really looking out for the entire community here as a whole."

The "Impeach Cuomo" banner is not the first political signage posted by Roger's Frigate. In January, the sweet shop came under fire for posting a banner reading, "In Trump We Trust."

The Roger's Frigate brass are also not the first supporters of President Donald Trump to have property tampered with on Long Island. A Port Washington man's home was vandalized at least five times as of January after he posted a Trump sign.