In recent years, Flushing business owners and employees have expressed concerns about rising crime rates in the area. To address this issue, the Flushing Business Improvement District (BID) has launched a program offering free self-defense classes to business owners and employees in zip codes 11354 and 11355.
The classes, which run from April 3 through June 5, will be taught by a professional martial artist specializing in Taekwondo at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel Ballroom. Participants will learn essential self-defense techniques focusing on kicking, grabbing, and de-escalation strategies for real-life situations.
Dian Song Yu, executive director of the Flushing BID, hopes that these classes will bring comfort to participants and empower them to protect themselves if necessary. Not all businesses have the resources to hire security guards, especially smaller shops. The Flushing BID hopes that this program will make all businesses in downtown Flushing feel safer and more secure. By providing essential self-defense training, the BID aims to give business owners and employees the tools they need to protect themselves in the face of rising crime rates.