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Friday, June 14, 2013

Barber Paid In Hugs Is Kicked Out Of Conn. Park

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- An 82-year-old barber who has been giving free haircuts to the homeless in exchange for hugs for 25 years was granted permission by the mayor Thursday to keep working in a city park, despite orders to leave from police and health officials.

Anthony "Joe the Barber" Cymerys has been a fixture every Wednesday for years at Bushnell Park, where he cuts hair and his friends hand out food to the needy.

But shortly after Cymerys set up shop this week, he said, health officials and police confronted him and his friends and told them they had to leave because they didn't have permits.

"I thought it was a drug raid, honest to God," Cymerys said. "It was the peanut gallery on TV where everyone was watching."

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

sounds like mayor and chief have different agendas.

Anonymous said...

So, he's not in a trade of barbering for money, so he needs nor can afford a license or insurance. He's cutting hair, not performing surgery. He's giving a talent to others to lift them up in a charitable gift. Charity is NON-TAXABLE. And this is not someone who needs to file for 501-3c, BECAUSE HE'S NOT TAKING IN ANY MONEY!!!!!!!!

Okay, so the IRS hates him. Well, they hate everybody else, too, so that's just where it's at.

Anonymous said...

shaking my head. does it make sense to any of you? our country is upside down in so many areas.

Anonymous said...

More of the conditioning show. Everyone's a criminal, or we'll find a reason to make you one.

Anonymous said...

Kudos to the mayor. Once again the police sticking their nose in where it is not needed. Health dept isn't too far from the police either. I'm sure both departments have bigger fish to fry but the choose to harras people doing nothing wrong. Incompetent.