Rockland County Exec offers support to business receiving anti-vaccination harassment

anti-vaxx — Rockland County Executive Ed Day, right, meets with an employee at Turtleboo in Spring Valley.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day paid a visit to a Spring Valley business that has been targeted by harassment and threats reportedly made by members of the anti-vaccination movement.

Turtleboo, an indoor children”™s entertainment center, became the subject of threatening telephone calls after its owner, Shimon Singer, was interviewed on CNN about the measles outbreak among the Orthodox Jewish community in the county.
Singer, who is part of this community, told CNN that he planned to vaccinate his 3-month-old daughter when she turns 6 months old and that 40 birthday parties scheduled at his business were canceled due to a fear of measles, although there were no confirmed cases at the location.

Following the interview, Singer and his business were deluged with angry calls and emails from people espousing the anti-vaccination cause.

While Singer was not present for Day”™s visit, the county executive used his Facebook page to express his solidarity with Singer and his business, describing a “campaign of threats, invectives, harrassing calls, and disgusting e mails likely done by those in the anti-vaxx camp. I wanted to be clear about my feelings to this episode and let him, his family and those who work in or attend their facility that I will not tolerate victimization; that I will stand with them; and in simple terms … I got their back.”