Racist Threat, Vandalism Mar Spike Lee Shoot

NEW YORK —  A white florist who rented space to director Spike Lee for his new movie about the relationship between a black man and a white woman has been the target of vandalism and a racist threat, police said.

Police are giving special protection to florist James Longo’s shop in the borough of Brooklyn, Sgt. Tina Mohrmann, a police spokeswoman, said today.

The Daily News reported in today’s editions that vandals smashed the window of Longo’s van, which was parked in front of the store, on Sept. 8.

Then on Sunday, the News said, the three windows of the shop were smashed, and the front window of the van, which had been repaired, was broken again.

Also on Sunday, an anonymous caller using racial slurs told Longo that the vandalism occurred because he rented space to a black. Lee’s best-known movie, the 1989 release “Do the Right Thing,” depicted racial strife in a Brooklyn neighborhood.

Mohrmann confirmed that Longo had reported “several incidents” of vandalism since Sept. 8, and that he reported the phone call on Sunday.

“Special attention is being given to the store and to the daily filming sites,” she said, adding that the police bias unit is investigating the incidents.

Lee has been on location in Brooklyn and Manhattan for his new movie, “Jungle Fever.” Filming at the Brooklyn store is scheduled for Monday.

The filmmaker, who lives in Brooklyn, told the Daily News: “All I’m trying to do is make a movie in the beautiful borough of Brooklyn. I’m going to continue to shoot the film.”