Fight at market leaves vendor injured

And not far away from the scene of the December robbery, this morning an altercation took place that has left one man in the hospital. As usual, News 5’s Patrick Jones discovered that every story has at least two sides.

Patrick Jones, Reporting

The attack on forty-year-old Manuel de Jesus Varela happened at his stall here at the Queen Square Market. Varela says he was preparing for the day’s business when chief of market security Max Santos showed up in a testy mood.

Manuel de Jesus Varela, Attack Victim

“I was eating my tacos when Mr. Max came and told me to move. He said the market belonged to them. I told Mr. Max that I pay him ten dollars per day to be here. He kicked over my food, then he jumped at me, but I moved and he fell on the fruit stall. Then the other security officer came and hit me.” (Translated from Spanish)

But the official version of the incident differs substantially from Varela’s account. Manager of Markets Tony Soberanis told us what his officers reported to him.

Tony Soberanis, Manager of Markets, City Council

“The vendor was out of his line and he was asking him to put his products back in line and he was willing to help him do that. Well in so doing, when he was lifting up the stuff, the guy pushed him down and started kicking him in his rear and the other market police who was in there saw the advantage that was taken of his fellow officer and he went to his aid.”

But while order must be maintained in the facility, is attacking a vendor with a baton the best way to achieve that goal? Soberanis says his officer was justified in using violence to take control of the situation.

Tony Soberanis

“I tend to agree with you in that sense, but the vendor was attacking one of our officers. And he is noted for being a violent person, and probably the other market police thought that the only way he could subdue him was by other means of violence.”

While Soberanis says he continues to have problems, especially with the vendors that come from the Valley of Peace, the City Council has given up on trying to work with Varela, who has now lost his privilege of doing business at the Queen’s Square Market.

Patrick Jones

“So basically if I understand you correctly, you’re holding Mr. Varela responsible for the altercation this morning that ultimately sent him to the K.H.M.H.?”

Tony Soberanis

“Yes we are, because he was the one who actually initiated it by kicking the man in his rear.”

Patrick Jones

“Mr. Varela has returned to his stall, will he continue to occupying there so long as he behaves himself and follows the direction you give to him?”

Tony Soberanis

“No, we are asking him to leave the market. We have asked him before because he has given us a lot of problems in the past and we have written him a letter asking him to leave. And he came back asking for another chance, he apologized to us and said that he wouldn’t let it happen again. We gave him another chance and this is the result of that chance.”

Patrick Jones, for News 5.

Varela told News 5 that he intends to take legal action against Richard Vernon, the security officer who attacked him.