Group Protests Bank Practices

By Joe Marvilli

A Flushing community group has formed in protest of the practices at Flushing Savings Bank.

  The Queens Residents Against Flushing Savings Bank was born due to the case of Franklin Torres, a property owner who battled with the bank to save his six-family building in Corona.

  According to the protest group, Torres won his case against the bank in the Queens Supreme Court on Aug. 8, but the bank has refused to accept payments from Torres or work with him in any capacity. Instead, the bank is continuing to use legal maneuvers in an effort to take Torres’ property.

  The issue has sparked much anger among the group, especially after the bank bailouts in 2008 and 2009.

  “We have formed this group to get the message out throughout the community and bring to light the issue of Banks abusing the people,” Bill Struhs, Coordinator of Queens Residents Against FSB said. “To add insult to injury, this bank, FSB, is the beneficiary of $70 million dollars in taxpayer bailout money. We were there for them and now they want to bury us.”

  The group has held demonstrations against the bank, specifically through the use of a flyer covered van. The posters calls for boycotts and labeled the corporation as a “property thief.”

  “We believe that there are a class of people who have been negatively impacted by the unscrupulous and perhaps illegal tactics of this corporate entity,” Luis Castro, a group member, added. “We will be visible and vocal and FSB should take notice that we will not allow them to abuse our community”.

  As of press time, FSB has not returned calls for comment.

  Queens Residents Against FSB members said the group intends to expand their community mobilization by visiting all bank branches to educate consumers about the bank’s tactics.

  Reach Reporter Joe Marvilli at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 125, or at jmarvilli@queenstribune.com.