Accused ‘Village Idiot’ firebug ranted about gay community hours before Chelsea arson rampage – New York Post
The alleged pyro accused of a fiery “rampage” through Chelsea bizarrely complained about the city’s gay community on social media hours before the arson attack.
“I am going to need big time protection to go to any of these places!!!” alleged firebug Alex Blodgett, 39, ranted on Facebook the day before the arson outburst, posting a series of pics showing surveillance cameras outside what appear to be Manhattan nightclubs.
“Nothing like being a housewhore captive in a psychological sense and then becoming free only to have men wanting to own you!!!” he wrote.
None of the clubs in his post appear to have been targeted.
Blodgett reportedly ignited 14 fires in a 90-minute frenzy on Aug. 16, mostly targeting trash barrels, police said.
But he’s also accused of setting fire to LouLou Petit Bistro & Speakeasy on Eighth Avenue, which lost its entire outdoor dining shed and had its facade badly charred.
“He was on a rampage,” LouLou Bistro owner Mathias Van Leyden told The Post earlier this week.
The bistro opened last winter, just three weeks before New York’s restaurant shutdowns. The Post praised LouLou several months ago for its ability to survive both the pandemic and a series of violent protests which destroyed surrounding businesses.
Blodgett is being held at Bellevue Hospital and was arraigned on arson charges Wednesday via hospital video, pending the results of a mental evaluation. He’s next due in court Sept. 7. He spent nearly two years in Sing Sing on an assault charge before being released in November 2018.
The alleged firebug uses the name “Village Idiot” on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, where several of his rambling videos generated more than 100,000 views. His most widely seen rant topped 400,000 views.
Those videos ended abruptly seven years ago. Blodgett re-emerged with a new YouTube channel two months ago, also under the Village Idiot name.
Bistro owner Van Leyden said he “no relationship whatsoever” with Blodgett. He vowed to re-open in three weeks, complete with a “beautiful” new outdoor dining area meant to resemble small French country homes.
“Every time something bad happens we fight really hard to make sure we survive and do the best we can,” Van Leyden said.