BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The owners of Caffe Aroma in Buffalo's Elmwood Village spent Monday morning cleaning up after the storefront was vandalized with paint overnight.
"We're trying to manage through this COVID-19 just like everyone else and situations like this just make it a little more difficult," said Romola Massaro, owner.
Green paint was spattered on the sidewalk outside of the cafe at Elmwood and Bidwell. We've reached out to Buffalo Police for more information.
"We don't like seeing that, you're hurting the community you're hurting the businesses around here and it's certainly not productive," said Buffalo Common Councilmember Joel Feroleto, Delaware District.
Business owners on Elmwood Avenue say this vandalism has been happening throughout the summer and now they're asking the city to step in.
"The Elmwood Village association waters the plants, picks up the garbage. We're doing all of this, but we're supposed to just allow people to come through and disrespect and vandalize basically our front yards?" said Therese Deutschlander, with the Elmwood Village Association.
Overnight a statue of Abraham Lincoln at Hoyt Lake in Buffalo was also vandalized with paint. Buffalo Police are currently investigating.
Business owners got backlash after speaking out about the issue online.
"It's already really difficult for us and now we have to be afraid to say anything to speak out about the fact that someone is disrespecting our businesses," said Deutschlander.
Owners say they don't want to get anyone in trouble, they just want to keep the neighborhood clean.
