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October 10, 2018 / Brooklyn news / Prospect-Lefferts Gardens

End of the ‘Q’: PLG blog goes dark after as founder faces allegations of racism File photo by Elizabeth Graham
Offline: Tim Thomas, far left, shut his local blog Q at Parkside down last week after a frequent recipient of the citizen journalist’s criticism accused him of using the website to promote racism. FIle photo by Stefano Giovannini
Led the charge: Activist Alicia Boyd, front right, with members of her anti-gentrification group Movement to Protect the People.


Prospect-Lefferts Gardens: Blogger back in biz: PLG writer returns to website, fires back against racism allegations
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Bay Ridge: It’s all Greek to them! Readers stunned by takeover of Ridge blog A Prospect-Lefferts Gardens blogger swore to never again cover the neighborhood he wrote about for nearly a decade, or any surrounding areas, after a firebrand local anti-gentrification activist threatened to publicly denounce him as a racist for posting defamatory allegations about her on the website.

Citizen journalist Tim Thomas abruptly called it quits in a Friday post on his “Q at Parkside” blog, which has since been taken down. The blogger declared he would abandon the operation he started in May 2010 two days before activist Alicia Boyd planned to disrupt a Sunday event hosted by his employer with a rally condemning him, and apologized to Boyd — whom he just weeks ago compared to President Trump and accused of illegal electioneering on behalf of a Crown Heights state senator in stories on the website.

“I apologize to the black community, its residents, leaders, and especially Alicia Boyd for the comments and behavior I have exhibited via this blog,” Thomas wrote in his final post. “I will shut down the Q at Parkside permanently.”

Prior to abandoning Q at Parkside, Thomas published several recent stories criticizing Boyd. An Aug. 24 story, for instance, accused her of using her tax-exempt community-service organization, New Directions in Healing, to illegally solicit funds from followers of her anti-gentrification group Movement to Protect the People, which sent out e-mails encouraging recipients to donate funds via New Directions to state Sen. Jesse Hamilton (D–Crown Heights) during his unsuccessful primary-election race against attorney Zellnor Myrie, according to the blogger.

“Alicia raises money through MTOPP, which she says is a non-profit, though it’s actually using her other non-profit New Directions in Healing as its shell, accepting tax-deductible donations,” he wrote. “And in case you were unaware, [that’s] illegal.”

But Thomas, who in another blog story insinuated that Hamilton gave Boyd money to pay off a mortgage in exchange for her campaign services, recanted that claim and his allegation she illegally electioneered on the pol’s behalf in his apology post, writing that he had “no firm evidence” to support the accusations.

The blogger’s sudden resignation, which also included a pledge not to write about Flatbush, Ditmas Park, and Crown Heights, came in exchange for Boyd’s promise to cancel the protest she planned at a bash hosted by performing-arts organization Bang on a Can, where Thomas works as a development director, which the activist upheld — but not before releasing statement that bashed Thomas as a racist and pawn for developers after he posted his mea culpa.

“It appears that Mr. Thomas and the community have come to an agreement,” Boyd’s statement read. “We were aware that he was a mouthpiece for developers and corrupt politicians who fed him information and encouraged his racist antics … we are no longer willing to tolerate negative, abusive, sexist, and racist comments from white men in a predominantly black community.”

Boyd claimed Thomas referred to local black leaders as “assoholics, frauds, lunatics, fools, and embarrassm­ents” in 2014 and 2015 blog posts that she referenced in e-mails sent ahead of her planned protest, but could not provide more recent examples of his alleged racism.

And in a Sept. 21 post, the blogger admitted to using that language, but explained his remarks pertained to Boyd specifically, not black people in general, before going on to compare the activist to the current commander-in-chief.

“The fact is I don’t hate blacks and women. I strongly dislike one black woman. But I also strongly dislike one white man, and he happens to be my president,” Thomas wrote.

Boyd resorting to racist smears to defame an adversary is nothing new, however, according to an African-American woman who formerly lived in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and came in contact with the activist during community-led demonstrations against a controversial Flatbush Avenue development in 2014.

“Whenever Alicia Boyd enters the public square, she’s likely to employ a variety of intimidating and obstructive tactics in order to shut down all opposing voices,” said Celeste Lacy Davis. “I’m especially disgusted by the way a fake race card has been played in this instance.”

The latest showdown between Thomas and Boyd followed years of the two butting heads, often over his advocacy for new developments with market-rate and affordable housing that she generally opposed out of fear such complexes would force longtime neighborhood residents from their homes.

In 2016, the activist organized a campaign that led civic gurus on Community Board 9 to boot the blogger from his volunteer post on the panel after she made similar accusations of racism to board members and Borough President Adams.

“We filed petitions, complained to Borough President Adams, petitioned the community board for his removal,” Boyd told this newspaper. “And again we felt his removal from the community board would put his behavior to rest.”

But not all locals are cheering the blogger’s demise — a Facebook post lamenting Thomas’s departure from the website drew such comments as “Thank you, Tim” and “Alicia Boyd sucks.”

Posted 12:00 am, October 10, 2018 

Zach from Prospect Lefferts says:
Alicia Boyd is as nasty as she is corrupt. Not only is she cheating the tax system and the welfare system and her own community, but she also goes out of her way to crush anything nice. It’s purely due to spite, and acting like an angry gang leader. I hope that she gets exposed for the evil cheater she is.
Oct. 10, 2:22 am
Mary from Flatbush says:
This article never mentioned Tim's racist coining of the phrase, "Not In My BLACK Yard" and his awful defense of not understanding his "wit" when confronted by those he offended. It also doesn't mention the violent post, “Maybe we will get lucky and [she} will break her jaw while gardening at her townhouse.” So happy this blog of misinformation, lies, and hate is gone. Tim is the epitome of the arrogant white privileged male. And to poster Zach from Prospect Lefferts: Stop the lies. You're part of the problem. You have zero proof of your corruption allegations and you know it. If Tim wasn't lying and had proof of these same allegations he would have stood his ground and not folded so quickly.
Oct. 10, 6:37 am
Julie Swetnick from Devils Triangle says:
Ha, good to see these people starting to eat their own. Everything is ‘racism’ or ‘white privilege’. Never ends well. Bunch of whiny hateful losers. #walkaway
Oct. 10, 6:55 am
Slamdonkwa Jenkins from Flatbush says:
Mary so right ! The other day I saw 2 white people drinking coffee in Flatbush!! Dis is gentrification! White people can’t be here! Mary and I don’t care if she took da money - dats how it goes in da hood! Take money, get money!
Oct. 10, 7:04 am
Boris from Borough Park says:
If you want to silence an opposing voice, simply accuse that person of racism and threaten their employment. It is the manifestation of the fascism of the left.
Oct. 10, 7:25 am
Anyone IN with the dumpster fire of corruption that is the DNC. needs to get OUT.
Oct. 10, 7:39 am
Patricia Reynolds from East Flatbush says:
Alicia Boyd stole the money, but Tim pays the consequence? Tell me again who’s a threat to the neighborhood??
Oct. 10, 8:08 am
Barry from Kenya says:
Good to see the racism of the white liberal gentrifiers exposed for all to see. Those that are unfortunate enough to be exposed to these frauds already knew this. #walkaway
Oct. 10, 10:15 am
B from Crown Heights says:
Patricia Reynolds from East Flatbush, To answer your question- People like Tim Thomas are the threat to this neighborhood with his libel meant to discredit local activists and to ultimately push for rezoning/gentrification. People like you are also a threat for easily believing and propagating lies such as "Alicia Boyd stole money." Critical thinking easily discredits Tim's allegations as well as other hit pieces written about Boyd.
Oct. 10, 11:28 am
Beaty McDaniels from PLG says:
Wow. The well-meaning blogger Q finds himself assaulted by a mob from the neighborhood he thought he loved. Now he's learning a painful lesson about betrayal and how he seriously misjudged those he believed he was supporting.
Oct. 10, 11:35 am
Alicia Boyd finds gentrification "culturally and spiritually uplifting." I understand that a lot of people dislike change, but there has to be a better standard bearer than Alicia Boyd.
Oct. 10, 11:37 am
Old time Brooklyn from Slope says:
Flatbush is. Not being gentride If is being taken back
Oct. 10, 12:05 pm
Mucitsia Wong from China says:
Alicia Boyd = Adolf Hitler
Oct. 10, 5:21 pm
Fanny from Prospect Lefferts Gardens says:
Alicia is a tug, period. She's fooling people and we are all falling for it. She's only concern about her house, her block. Prospect Lefferts needs so much in terms of basic services. Alicia why don’t you write to city hall and march to city hall to get us some services? To me, that would be time well spent. If you care so much about the community, why aren’t you involved in activities that would promote a better quality of life. Have you seen the litter on Flatbush and Rogers avenues lately? Why don’t you start a petition to hold store and building owners accountable for the debris in front of their properties? That again would be time well spent. How about the traffic and the speeding vans down on Flatbush? That would have been time well spent too. You’ve held CB9 hostage for the past few years, and because of you, nothing gets accomplish. People in the community don’t have any one to complain to, no one to resolve the many issues that are affecting us. Instead, you’ve been spending your time creating havoc at our community board, harassing, and threatening people’s livelihood. You should be a shame of yourself. You’re nothing but a fraud. By the way Alicia, I’m not a new comer-Prospect Lefferts born and raised.
Oct. 10, 7:57 pm
Kellen from Crown Heights says:
Alicia Boyd plays the race card, the sex card, the police are pigs card in her game. She is fearless in fighting off developers and corruption in government but plays very dirty. It's a shame that she'll do anything to move her position, like viciously smear people
Oct. 10, 8:47 pm
Boyd has had zero success stopping developers. She might cause a few disruptions and a few temporary delays. But development is going to continue in PLG no matter how crazy she becomes. Too bad Thomas became a victim. Apparently he didn't have the money or the fortitude to fight. Undoubtedly he's now seething. Probably feels like Kavanaugh while he was being pilloried by Ford supporters.
Oct. 10, 10:40 pm
Alicia Boyd and her band of thugs will probably disrupt the gathering that Thomas had organized for this weekend. Beating the hapless Q blogger won't be enough. The Boyd gang will strike anyway.
Oct. 10, 10:45 pm
Steve says:
Damn, Alicia Boyd - have a snickers!
Oct. 11, 3:51 am
We must believe the victims. Black people are victims. White people must never criticize or contradict black people.
Oct. 11, 8:01 am
Who cares what a bunch of commies (oops, progressives) do? It's a three ring circus
Oct. 11, 11:37 am
D’shwquan Johnson from Brownsville says:
Felicia Boyd is a racist!!!!!!
Oct. 11, 12:38 pm
John from PLG says:
Amazing to see Alicia's mob out in full force. I will sincerely miss the Q's take on things. I didn't always agree with him, but he didn't flat out lie - that is more than the other half of this dramatic story, at least.
Oct. 11, 12:46 pm
Me Me from PLG says:
Who’s going to keep this narcissistic “do gooder” honest now that Tim is gone? Any one who wrecks so much havoc in the lives of public officials without offering a viable alternative solution is a menace. And she wants to call anyone who disagrees with her a racist if they aren’t black? It doesn’t take much to get the gist of the kind of person she is—not a good one. Stopping things “by any means necessary” is a misguided motto no matter who does it.
Oct. 11, 4:12 pm
This guy sucks. Screw him and his blog!
Oct. 11, 8:16 pm
no slapps from plg says:
Does the Q have the testicles to sue Boyd? She threatened his well-being, his livelihood, and his family. Her methods appear to have crossed the legal lines. --- Will he take it lying down? Is he merely going to "move on"? --- Though people commenting here are relying on fake names, it does not appear the fans of his blog are rallying in his defense. --- Q's enemies are his fellow democrats. He can pretend they're part of the deranged fringe of the party. But they're not. They're the foot-soldiers of his political group. The local antifa squad.
Oct. 12, 9:05 am
Crown Heights from John says:
She needs to be investigated. We also need a new blogger for the area, one who is a better writer and journalist.
Oct. 12, 3:25 pm
