New Development in Ariola ‘Law & Order’ Case

By Michael V. Cusenza

City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) on Tuesday updated her constituents on a new development in her case against the showrunners and writers of “Law & Order: SVU.”

In November, Ariola wrote to NBC, “I am deeply disappointed in your decision to paint the neighborhood of Howard Beach in such a negative light during an episode of ‘Law & Order: SVU’ titled ‘A Be er Person’ (Season 24; Episode 8.) Your writers opting to label the 26,000+ residents of this diverse neighborhood as ‘racist, sexist, and phobic about just about everything’ is highly o ensive, and re ects a lack of forethought and compassion for the people who live here.

“It has been decades since the specter of hatred unfairly labeled our community—hatred for which the individual perpetrators have been punished—and yet people such as yourselves continue to pass judgment on a community at large because of past incidents,” the councilwoman said in her missive. “We as a community are by no means anything like the words spoken, and to continue to label us as such is unfair and, in fact, defamatory.”

Speaking Tuesday evening at the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic Association meeting, Ariola noted that “lobbyists” for the popular crime procedural had recently visited her o ce, hats in hand, asking Ariola what she needed to resolve the issue.

“’You’ve got to do something really great for us,’” the councilwoman answered.

“ ey depicted us in a horri c way,” Ariola added. “ is is not a community of monsters. is is a community of law-abiding citizens.” File Photo Councilwoman Joann Ariola