Over at
the Motor City Muckraker, Steve Neavling reports that tens of thousands of
people gathered safely for the fireworks in downtown Detroit last night without
a major incident.
the Motor City Muckraker, Steve Neavling reports that tens of thousands of
people gathered safely for the fireworks in downtown Detroit last night without
a major incident.
But
attendance was low, and a major reason was because people were afraid that
violence would break out. With the help of social media, rumors had spread far
and wide that gangs would be targeting police for “knock-out Game” attacks.
attendance was low, and a major reason was because people were afraid that
violence would break out. With the help of social media, rumors had spread far
and wide that gangs would be targeting police for “knock-out Game” attacks.
Here are a
couple of the five most hyperbolic tweets that the Muckraker site offers:
couple of the five most hyperbolic tweets that the Muckraker site offers:
Idk You couldn’t pay
me enough to go to Detroit to see fireworks and have a good 80% chance of
getting kidnapped/ robbed/killed
me enough to go to Detroit to see fireworks and have a good 80% chance of
getting kidnapped/ robbed/killed
I was going to go to
the Detroit fireworks tonight, but Meijer is all out of ammunition, and my
bullet proof vest is at the cleaners.
the Detroit fireworks tonight, but Meijer is all out of ammunition, and my
bullet proof vest is at the cleaners.
The closest thing to a story that developed was that WXYZ-TV Channel 7 reported “curfew chaos” as police tried to enforce the extraordinary 6 p.m. curfew imposed for fireworks night. Channel 7 reported that at least 114 youths were rounded up by the police and hauled to detention in buses.
With tens
of thousands of suburbanites descending on the downtown area for the fireworks show, hundreds of local, state and federal
law enforcement officers saturated the riverfront to quickly dissolve any
problems.
of thousands of suburbanites descending on the downtown area for the fireworks show, hundreds of local, state and federal
law enforcement officers saturated the riverfront to quickly dissolve any
problems.
“But in
the neighborhoods, where police were already overwhelmed, the emergency callsrolled in at a pace much faster than officers could respond,” Neavling wrote. “Between
8 p.m. and midnight, when a bulk of police resources were downtown, officers
were called to at least three shootings, seven home invasions, three armed
robberies, four arsons, a rape and numerous domestic assaults.”
the neighborhoods, where police were already overwhelmed, the emergency callsrolled in at a pace much faster than officers could respond,” Neavling wrote. “Between
8 p.m. and midnight, when a bulk of police resources were downtown, officers
were called to at least three shootings, seven home invasions, three armed
robberies, four arsons, a rape and numerous domestic assaults.”
*****
The Motor City Muckraker site also has a brief film clip of
a fight at the River Days festival over the weekend. I have to say that I went to
River Days for the first time on Saturday and it was not a pleasant experience.
a fight at the River Days festival over the weekend. I have to say that I went to
River Days for the first time on Saturday and it was not a pleasant experience.
The event was extraordinarily chaotic and unorganized. Lines of people thee-
and four-wide stretched for several hundred yards with little movement. These
were the lines to enter. It appeared that there were only three entrances and
each was bottled up by law enforcement officers frisking each entrant with a
metal-detecting wand.
and four-wide stretched for several hundred yards with little movement. These
were the lines to enter. It appeared that there were only three entrances and
each was bottled up by law enforcement officers frisking each entrant with a
metal-detecting wand.
On the street level, this family-friendly festival was bordered by about 25 local, state and federal cop cars lined along the curb. Some strange
characters also hurt the atmosphere, including a guy with a bull horn who, back
in the day, would have been called a Jesus freak.
characters also hurt the atmosphere, including a guy with a bull horn who, back
in the day, would have been called a Jesus freak.
On top of all that, there didn’t seem to be a lot to do. So
we left. And probably will not return.
we left. And probably will not return.
