In recent times, Flushing business owners and employees have expressed concerns about rising crime rates in the area. To address this issue, the Flushing Business Improvement District (BID) has launched a program offering free self-defense classes to business owners and employees in zip codes 11354 and 11355.

The classes will run from Wednesday Apr. 3 through June 5, and participants can sign up on the Flushing BID website by signing a waiver. The initiative aims to provide essential self-defense training to small business owners who may not have the resources to hire security guards.

The classes will be taught by a professional martial artist specializing in Taekwondo at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel Ballroom. Participants will learn essential self-defense techniques focusing on kicking, grabbing, and de-escalation strategies for real-life situations. The classes are designed to give participants the tools they need to protect themselves in the face of rising crime rates.

Dian Song Yu, executive director of the Flushing BID, hopes that these classes will bring comfort to participants and empower them to protect themselves if necessary. By providing essential self-defense training, the BID aims to give business owners and employees the tools they need to feel safer and more secure in downtown Flushing.