Porn: Okay. Threatening Rape: Not Okay.

Newsstand operator Muhammad Shaukat, like most vendors, sold porn. He sold Playboy and Penthouse and maybe some of those specialty titles, too.

Problem was, he had them displayed front and center. And his newsstand was right in front of the public ledger building, in touristy Independence Mall. Legally, he was probably on solid ground, but, naturally, people complained and L&I told him to tone it down.

Now, a smart businessman would probably realize that if he stood his ground, he could end up in a long legal fight which he couldn’t afford. A smart businessman would probably move the mags to the back of the newsstand, put up one of those barriers where you could only see the titles, etc.

But, well, Shaukat apparently isn’t the smartest businessman in the world:

After inspectors told Shaukat to rein in his wares, DiCicco said, “He posted a sign saying that he would rape and kill anyone who interfered with the operation of his newsstand.”

Shaukat, who said he went into vending because of an eye condition, responded, “I’m not bothering anybody. Everybody sells those magazines.”

His sign said, in part, “I gone a f— his mother, sister, wife or her… who complain my newsstand. Come front of me.”

And now, naturally, City Council is going to pass a bill banning vending around the area where his newsstand was. Whoops.

Sign threat costs vendor his corner [Daily News]