Confederate Flags In East Village Window Gets Tenant Sued

EAST VILLAGE, NY — An East Village resident who has been displaying Confederate flags in his apartment windows is facing a lawsuit from his landlord who wants a judge to order them removed.

William Green, who's lived near Avenue D and East Eighth Street since 1996, has displayed two Confederate flags in his fifth-floor windows for months, according to neighbors. At night, the flags are illuminated with spotlights.

Green's flags have long frustrated community members but drew additional outrage last week in the wake of violent rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white supremacy and neo-Nazi groups protested the planned removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

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Now, the owner of Green's building is looking to force him to remove the flags, arguing that the disruption they've caused is equivalent to a violation of Green's lease. The building, which is owned by an LLC linked to the development company Yassky Properties, filed a complaint Saturday. DNAinfo first reported news of the filing.

The building's owner called the flags "an egregious private anti-social nuisance." The flags, the building's owner says, have "caused fear, civil commotion, violence, protests and unpredictable behavior among residents of the Building and in the community at large."

Last week, an outraged man pelted rocks at Green's window, and on Saturday a neighbor climbed onto roof of the building and punched his hand through a window.

Green could not be contacted by Patch for comment on Monday. The building's owner, Charles Yassky of Yassky Properties, did not immediately respond to a message from Patch seeking comment.

Lead image via Ciara McCarthy / Patch.