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Five Points business owner wants to talk solutions with JSO after months of chaos

JSO had several officers, including its mounted unit, near Park Street over the weekend.

Making ends meet has been harder for one Five Points business owner recently.

Christina Wagner, the owner of Rain Dogs, blames that on mobs she says have caused chaos on Park Street for months.

This weekend dozens of police officers were seen nearby, and the crowds seemed to stay away. But Wagner believes there is a better way to handle the situation.

"I appreciate the presence because there have been problematic things happening here, but there are good ways of doing it, this is not the way," Wagner said. 

Wagner says her bar is a place for all. 

"Yea the riverside living room like come over here and crash we'll smash some ideas," she said. 

Lightbulbs attached to beer taps illuminate Christina Wagner's "living room" shining a light on different ideas in every corner to provoke thought.

"We'll figure out how to fix the problem, I love fixing problems we have a lot of problems right now." 

Wagner and the rest of Five Points have been dealing with a big problem right outside their front door.

"Mobs were taking all of my furniture and using it as weapons and throwing them throughout the street," Wagner said. "It breaks my heart because we have some real great stuff that is happening here. But you know even me I feel weird asking people to come into the chaos." 

Wagner says there have been mobs of people causing chaos on Park Street for months.

She said the police presence caught her off guard and fears it will do more harm than good by keeping customers away.

She wants transparency and to speak with police about possible solutions.

"There's a way to find harmony in all of this space is created and cultivated in order to bring out the best in people," Wagner said. 

Wagner says a seat at her bar is open for JSO, she would like to see it ticket people who are responsible for causing the chaos in Five Points. 

First Coast News crime and safety analyst, Mark Baughman, says JSO's presence was for a reason.

"Law enforcement intelligence is monitoring internet chatter whether they're tweeting, instagramming, whatever they're monitoring and they're getting all these different locations or maybe a specific location in this case where a number of people are going to meet," Baughman said.

"Law enforcement has to respond because, A, they need to protect the citizens and community and the people that live in that area and, B, they have a lot of businesses, you have a lot of restaurants, you have a lot of shops and those also need to be protected," he added. 

First Coast News has reached out to JSO asking why it had a large presence near Park Street this weekend but has not responded.

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