America will face Riots, Marches, and Revolution

[American Patriot]

WTF is wrong with the world, Ryan?

Guess I'm going to start packing my weapon again.

Shoot a few and you'll settle their asses down.

[vector7]

Preparing for Economic Collapse

Friday, May 13, 2011, 9:19 am, by FerFAL


Today's contributor is Fernando "FerFAL" Aguirre. Many of our readers have expressed interest in hearing accounts from those who have lived through economic collapse. FerFAL experienced the hyperinflationary destruction of Argentina's economy in 2001 and continues to blog about his experiences and observations of its lingering aftermath.

His website and his book Surviving the Economic Collapse offer windows into the probable outcomes to expect during a collapsing economy. Note: Our site's What Should I Do? Guide offers specific guidance relevant to a number of the steps FerFAL recommends below.

“How can I prepare for an economic collapse?” is one of the most common questions I get. It usually takes me a second to start to explain how complex such a question is. It’s like asking an auto mechanic, “Say, how do you build a car?” or asking a computer engineer, “What’s all that stuff inside my laptop?”

I do have some first-hand experience in this matter, though. The economy in my country, Argentina, has gone through various crises, but none as large as when the economy collapsed in 2001 after a decade of apparent prosperity. The currency devaluated, and Argentina defaulted on its USD$132 billion debt, the largest default ever. The middle class took to the streets after bank accounts were frozen, and the president was forced to resign, escaping the presidential building in a helicopter.

What I’ll do is, provide five quick foundational steps, based on what I know, for you to follow so as to be better prepared if something like what happened in my country ever happens in yours.

Step #1: Secure a percentage of your savings in bullion.

Five years ago, even the most paranoid person claimed you would never see “nationalized” banks in USA. The gung-ho survivalists claimed the entire country would go up in flames and open revolts would start before something as insane as a $700+ billion bailout to save the "too big to fail" rich elite was laid on the backs of the American working class. Yet here we are.

When I try to explain this very important issue to my American friends, they tell me that banks would never steal people’s money because there are laws against that in the USA. Their money is insured. We had those same laws in Argentina, but still it happened. We had a constitutional right to private property. Yet the constitution mattered little during the collapse. Go right ahead -- sue the government of the United States if something like that ever happens. Maybe you’ll get some of your savings back in a few years. If they feel like returning it.

What people don’t understand is that laws are written by men, not some greater power. As soon as those running the show feel an emergency decree or law is in order, existing laws are simply rewritten. They may even be ignored all together! What do you do if something like that happens?

You may complain, you may sue, but you’re not changing the cold hard fact that as of right now that bank door is closed, that ATM has no money in it, and you still have to survive. This is something Argentines have experienced and know very well. Hundreds of thousands of us have banged the doors of our banks, for years, without a penny being returned. You still sued, and waited, and spent the little money you had by hiring a lawyer. You lose, they win…unless you have some of that money at hand before they decide to steal it.

Every single Argentine wishes he could go back in time, close his bank account, and put that money into gold. We would all do that if we had a time machine. Since you can't guess the future, all you can do is estimate what can happen and play the odds in your favor. In the event of a full economic collapse, if you have 20% of your savings in physical gold and silver, that’s a percentage of your savings that is spared. It's not an investment; don’t go crazy over gold and silver going up or down a few dollars, just be content that it's not getting any lighter as it sits in your safe.

If the economy collapses or even if there’s simply inflation (as there clearly will be), that percentage of your savings in precious metals is safe and will likely go up in price beyond its standard purchasing power as things get worse.

During the first stages of a severe economic crisis, you will see ATMs running out of money fast, and many stores won't be accepting credit cards. As the saying goes, “Cash is king” during those times. Your precious metal can be sold to a dealer, but you better keep that stored for now.

When everyone is running around looking for an ATM with a few bucks in it, having a month's worth of expenses in cash means you won't be one of them. Why not more than a month´s worth of expenses? Because if the economy fully collapses, that paper money will lose its value within hours. It may drop 50%, 60%, or 75%, as happened in Argentina. Who knows? All you know is that as the currency loses value, the value of the precious metals you have stored goes up in proportion. Still, during those first days, a wad of cash gets you what you need.

So, step one is acquiring precious metals (I generally recommend 20% of your savings but each person is a separate case) and a month’s worth of expenses in cash, kept safe at home.
Step #2: Stock up on food.

The more you have, the better. There may be periods of civil unrest like the ones we saw where stores are being looted and closed after that. There may be problems with resupply because of logistical complications. It's better if you already have 6 to 12 months worth of food in your expanded pantry. Also, keep in mind the food you buy now will be considerably cheaper compared to post-inflation prices.

This large supply of food will bring peace of mind in case of job loss, as well.

Who knows how long it will be before you find another source of income? After the 2001 collapse, some people genuinely spent YEARS looking for a job without finding any. I can’t emphasize enough the peace of mind it brings knowing you still have some time, and that you can, in fact, put food on the table the following night.

The food should be long-term storage type, requiring little or no cooking, at least for some of it. Water is also essential, so having a two-week supply is advised. The minimum amount is a gallon per person per day, and you should double that for flushing toilets and taking an elemental bath in case the water service is interrupted.

Step #3: Acquire the essentials by putting together a survival/emergency kit.

This will include your typical camping gear: a tent, sleeping bags, a stove (have enough fuel for it in case services are disrupted), first aid kit, medicines, LED flashlights and several spare batteries. Depending on how bad civil unrest gets, there may be problems with the infrastructure. After the economy collapsed in Argentina, the power company simply couldn’t afford the repairs needed, and it hadn’t planned for something like this, either. Rolling blackouts became common, and having LED lights and rechargeable batteries was a blessing. You could easily spend two or three days without power during summer. At one time, downtown Buenos Aires was left without power for five days. Imagine the complications this brings. If natural gas service is interrupted, you may need other ways of cooking. A camping stove and enough fuel will get you through it.

Step #4: Improve your personal and home security.

If you ask any Argentinean what concerns him the most, 9 out of 10 people will have the same answer: security. In second place is the economic situation. Ten years after the economic collapse, things are nothing like they used to be. Half of the middle class became poor, and its standard of living has decreased considerably. We’re still a high-risk economy, and it shows. Inflation is still rampant and can be anywhere from 5% to 10% per month, usually hitting the middle class the worst. But that’s something we’ve grown used to. That’s something we can live with.

What concerns Argentineans the most is the crime problem, and the out-of-control violent crime we suffer is the major legacy of the 2001 economic collapse. Poverty sure didn’t help, nor did social segregation. But the greatest cause responsible for the crime levels we suffer is our own government. The liberal government that took control after the collapse considers criminals to be poor victims of brutal capitalism. The unofficial stance is that criminals have a right to steal, murder and rape - in their view, it's how the “poor” get back at the rich and middle class who thrived during the 90’s. Of course, with a government like that, the crime problem just keeps getting worse.

During the first days after the economy collapsed, civil unrest, rioting and looting was out of control. A state of siege and military law was declared, enforcing curfew hours after 10 pm. This lasted a few months, and for months after that, while order was recovered in the capitol district, there were still occasional revolts and looting. The sense of lawlessness extended way beyond the visible accounts depicted by the TV and general media. It's during times like these that you realize you must have means of defending yourself and your family.

My advice is to make your home as secure as possible against criminals that may take advantage of the lack of control during the worst of the rioting. After that, a better security plan for the entire family must be worked out. As things get worse, you understand that you can no longer afford to be lax about your personal and home security. Those that are quickly become vicitims. With a more secure home, you may want to consider having a weapon to defend yourself. Certainly not an easy decision, and one you must be extremely serious about. If you have the self-control and maturity to handle one, having a firearm and getting the minimum training to know how to use (it if it ever comes to that) is something you should consider doing.

Crime and insecurity will be one of the greatest threats people all across USA will suffer, and very few will be ready for it. It won't happen one dark gloomy night after watching the latest horror movie. It will happen in the Walmart parking lot at 3 pm, with plenty of people around (people who will hurry out of the way, pretending not to see anything). You’ll be thinking about what you just bought, that you maybe should have bought Lucky Charms instead of Corn Flakes. That’s when the nice-looking person with two other buddies, all well-dressed (with neat hair cuts, too), pulls a gun on you. Developing a sense of awareness will be the most important part, as well as making the rest of your family comprehend that times have changed and you can no longer be careless regarding security.

Step #5: Embrace a different mindset.

When Argentina went through its economic collapse, people handled it differently. Maybe the most common response was denial. The “I can't believe this is happening “ attitude was pretty popular. Others complained, but you soon understood it changed nothing: It only made you feel more miserable, more stressed, and that was something you could do without. Others just ended their misery. Suicide rates doubled after the collapse, with people sometimes jumping under the train at early rush hour in a desperate attempt to make their misery noticed by others.

What you need to do is become more positive, more active. Be someone who, while accepting those things you can’t change, does something about the things you can. Get involved now, do what I just recommended right now, it will bring you peace of mind. Remember to stay positive and put every problem into perspective. Complain less. You’ll have enough to complain about when inflation gets worse. Soon you'll understand that material things can be replaced, and you become more grateful for what you have instead of worrying about what you don’t.

It's essential to keep a positive attitude. Being someone that gets easily depressed will be the end of you as the economy worsens. Problems much worse that what you are used to will be a daily occurrence. You’ll just have to roll with it and learn to cope with the new world you live in. Reinforce your relationships with people. Fight stress by finding a hobby you enjoy, hopefully one that has a practical side as well. After the collapse, lots of people started their own businesses when they realized there were no jobs to be found. It would be better if you get started now, just in case you ever need it in order to earn a living.

These are my recommendations. I know many people could have used such advice back when our economy collapsed.
Some common questions regarding hyperinflation

How quickly does it happen?

These events occur fast, but there are warning signs: lack of investment; higher interest rates; unemployment. When banks start coming up with excuses so as to not give you your money right away when closing an account, that’s usually not a good sign.

As for inflation and hyperinflation, they happen right in front of your eyes. It actually happened to me that the price of an item I picked in a store almost doubled in price by the time I reached the cash register. The employee just placed the sticker with the new price over the old one (no time to remove them) Employees rushed around changing prices several times a day, all day long during the ongoing crisis. It was fun to peel back the stack of stickers with the different prices and see how they had gone up in a matter of hours. Rioting happens fast, too. Once the banks close rioting is just minutes away.

What happens to your savings/investments?

I didn’t have much but managed to close my account just a day before the banks closed their doors. My parents are accountants and saw the signs mentioned earlier. When we went to the bank a nice lady told us they didn’t have USD$1,000 in the bank. Our jaws just dropped. That same day we went to the main branch and closed the account my sister and I had. The next day all banks closed, the accounts where frozen.

As for real estate, that was a pretty safe investment. Eventually rents went up so as to compensate for the devaluation. Of course you were much better of with your money in bricks and mortar than in a bank account.

How does the populace react?

Violently, as you’d expect when your life savings are stolen from you.

What is the government saying/doing?

Laws were changed to make everything nice and legal. The excuses the then-president Fernando De La Rua came up with in his speeches during the crisis just made everything worse.

Just days before the bank holidays they promised none of that would happen. Same thing before the devaluation. They swore on their mothers's names they wouldn’t do such a thing, then did it the following day.

Politicians tend to do such things, and they are all similar worldwide.

What happens to the capital markets?

The stock market dropped like a rock, then shut down. What surprised you the most was how everything was simply frozen in expectation. No one wanted to spend a single cent, not even to buy half a gallon of paint for a work site because you just didn’t know what would happen in a matter of hours, let alone next week. The biggest investors had sold and left the country months before everything went down. Another sign to look for.

Does violence and crime become an immediate concern?

Yes it does. While stores were the more common targets, houses were looted, too. The best thing to do was stay home, have a defendable position and be armed. I had looters not 20 yards away from my home.

What do you do if they rush your home? Can you just open fire on them?

What will they do when/if you do? All these things flash into your mind.

A significant amount of people behave because they believe there’s a punishment if they do otherwise. Once that fear is removed because the authorities have clearly lost control, you see the worst of people’s nature.

It's not a pleasant thought, but it's better to be ready.

Take care,

Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre.

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Supreme Court orders California to release tens of thousands of prison inmates

The 5-4 decision represents one of the largest prison release orders in U.S. history. The court majority says overcrowding has caused 'suffering and death.' In a sharp dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia warns 'terrible things are sure to happen.'

• (218)

Inmates sit for dinner at the California State Prison in Lancaster. A federal overseer of the state's prison system has suggested freeing the sickest inmates as a way to cut costs. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times / June 10, 2010)

By David G. Savage, Washington Bureau May 23, 2011, 8:56 a.m.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ordered California on Monday to release tens of thousands of its prisoners to relieve overcrowding, saying that "needless suffering and death" had resulted from putting too many inmates into facilities that cannot hold them in decent conditions.

It is one of the largest prison release orders in the nation's history, and it sharply split the high court.

• Related

Disturbance at Sacramento-area prison leaves several inmates injured


Document: Read the annotated Supreme Court decision


Video by prison guards union links campaign donations to new contract

Justices upheld an order from a three-judge panel in California that called for releasing 38,000 to 46,000 prisoners. Since then, the state has transferred about 9,000 state inmates to county jails. As a result, the total prison population is now about 32,000 more than the capacity limit set by the panel.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, speaking for the majority, said California's prisons had "fallen short of minimum constitutional requirements" because of overcrowding. As many as 200 prisoners may live in gymnasium, he said, and as many as 54 prisoners share a single toilet.

Kennedy insisted that the state had no choice but to release more prisoners. The justices, however, agreed that California officials should be given more time to make the needed reductions.

In dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia called the ruling "staggering" and "absurd."

He said the high court had repeatedly overruled the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals for ordering the release of individual prisoners. Now, he said, the majority were ordering the release of "46,000 happy-go-lucky felons." He added that "terrible things are sure to happen as a consequence of this outrageous order." Justice Clarence Thomas agreed with him.

In a separate dissent, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said the ruling conflicted with a federal law intended to limit the power of federal judges to order a release of prisoners.

State officials and lawyers for inmates differ over just how many prisoners will have to be released. In recent figures, the state said it had about 142,000 inmates behind bars, and the judges calculated the prison population would need to be reduced to about 110,000 to comply with constitutional standards.

Kennedy said the judges in California overseeing the prison-release order should "accord the state considerable latitude to find mechanisms and make plans" that are "consistent with the public safety."

The American Civil Liberties Union said the court had "done the right thing" by addressing the "egregious and extreme overcrowding in California's prisons."

David Fathi, director of the ACLU national prison project, said "reducing the number of people in prison not only would save the state taxpayers half a billion annually, it would lead to the implementation of truly rehabilitative programs that lower recidivism rates and create safer communities."

Meanwhile, the court took no action on another California case in which a conservative group is challenging the state's policy of granting in-state tuition at its colleges and universities to students who are illegal immigrants and have graduated from its high schools.

The justices said they would consider the appeal in a later private conference.

[American Patriot]

Personally, I think they need to release about 80% of the people in prison. Seriously. I worked in a prison. Some of those people were in there simply because they were stupid, doing dumbassed things.

Keep the murderers and other capital crimes.

[Ryan Ruck]

Reading this, it sounds like the criminals are getting away with exploiting a loophole due to California's financial stupidity.

Also, here's some of Justice Scalia's decent I found:

There comes before us, now and then, a case whose proper outcome is so clearly indicated by tradition and common sense, that its decision ought to shape the law, rather than vice versa. One would think that, before allowing the decree of a federal district court to release 46,000 convicted felons, this Court would bend every effort to read the law in such a way as to avoid that outrageous result. Today, quite to the contrary, the Court disregards stringently drawn provisions of the governing statute, and traditional constitutional limitations upon the power of a federal judge, in order to uphold the absurd.

The proceedings that led to this result were a judicial travesty. I dissent because the institutional reform the District Court has undertaken violates the terms of the governing statute, ignores bedrock limitations on the power of Article III judges, and takes federal courts wildly beyond their institutional capacity.

The Court acknowledges that the plaintiffs "do not base their case on deficiencies in care provided on any one occasion”; rather, "[p]laintiffs rely on system wide deficiencies in the provision of medical and mental health care that, taken as a whole, subject sick and mentally ill prisoners in California to ‘substantial risk of serious harm’ and cause the delivery of care in the prisons to fall below the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society.” Ante, at 7, n. 3. But our judge empowering "evolving standards of decency” jurisprudence(with which, by the way, I heartily disagree, see, e.g., Roper v. Simmons, 543 U. S. 551, 615–616 (2005) (SCALIA, J., dissenting)) does not prescribe (or at least has not until today prescribed) rules for the "decent” running of schools,prisons, and other government institutions. It forbids "indecent” treatment of individuals—in the context of this case, the denial of medical care to those who need it. And the persons who have a constitutional claim for denial of medical care are those who are denied medical care—not all who face a "substantial risk” (whatever that is) of being denied medical care.

But the idea that the three District Judges in this case relied solely on the credibility of the testifying expert witnesses is fanciful. [span style='font-style: italic;']Of course[/span] they were relying largely on their own beliefs about penology and recidivism. And [span style='font-style: italic;']of course[/span] different district judges, of different policy views,would have "found” that rehabilitation would not work and that releasing prisoners would increase the crime rate. I am not saying that the District Judges rendered their factual findings in bad faith. I am saying that it is impossible for judges to make "factual findings” without inserting their own policy judgments, when the factual findings are policy judgments. What occurred here is no more judicial factfinding in the ordinary sense than would be the factual findings that deficit spending will not lower the unemployment rate, or that the continued occupation of Iraq will decrease the risk of terrorism. Yet, because they have been branded "factual findings” entitled to deferential review, the policy preferences of three District Judges now govern the operation of California’s penal system.

But structural injunctions do not simply invite judges to indulge policy preferences. They invite judges to indulge [span style='font-style: italic;']incompetent [/span]policy preferences. Three years of law school and familiarity with pertinent Supreme Court precedents give no insight whatsoever into the management of social institutions. Thus, in the proceeding below the District Court determined that constitutionally adequate medical services could be provided if the prison population was 137.5% of design capacity. This was an empirical finding it was utterly unqualified to make. Admittedly, the court did not generate that number entirely on its own; it heard the numbers 130% and 145% bandied about by various witnesses and decided to split the difference. But the ability of judges to spit back or even average-out numbers spoon-fed to them by expert witnesses does not render them competent decision makers in areas in which they are otherwise unqualified.

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Peter Fonda encourages his grandchildren to take up arms against President Barack Obama

Peter Fonda, the star of Easy Rider, says he is training his grandchildren to use rifles for a conflict with President Barack Obama.


Peter Fonda arrives for the screening of 'The Beaver' in Cannes Photo: AP

By Richard Eden 6:28AM BST 22 May 2011

Lars von Trier, who was banned from Cannes for praising Hitler, was not the only one making unsavoury comments at the film festival.

Peter Fonda, the star of Easy Rider, suggested to Mandrake that he was encouraging his grandchildren to shoot President Barack Obama.

“I’m training my grandchildren to use long-range rifles,” said the actor, 71. “For what purpose? Well, I’m not going to say the words 'Barack Obama’, but …”

He added, enigmatically: “It’s more of a thought process than an actuality, but we are heading for a major conflict between the haves and the have nots. I came here many years ago with a biker movie and we stopped a war. Now, it’s about starting the world.

“I prefer to not to use the words, 'let’s stop something’. I prefer to say, 'let’s start something, let’s start the world’.

“There’s no room any more for a cissy and, like I said, don’t forget that I’ve got grandsons who I’ve trained with long-distance rifles. We have to run like mofos to change this world.”

[Ryan Ruck]

Unruly Teens Wrecking A Dunkin' Donuts At 75 Christopher Street In Manhattan

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100,000 Protesting In Athens Right Now

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/29/2011 16:33 -0400

The first confirmation of protests expected to sweep across Europe tonight from Greece to Spain, France and Italy comes from Syntagma square where up to 100,000 people are protesting at this moment. Ekathimerini reports:

"Greeks inspired by the Spanish “Indignant” or “Indignados” movement held their largest protest so far in Athens on Sunday, which some estimates put as high as 100,000 people, although a more accurate assesment seemed to be that those taking part exceeded 30,000.

No official figure was given for the number of people packing into Syntagma Square in front of Parliament but it was clear that the protest was by far the largest since the movement began on Wednesday." For now the Greek protest is peaceful, but with the US on vacation, and the EURUSD about to be very volatile, we urge readers to follow the real time update at the following live webcast.

(the feed may be down due to a surge in traffic, we are looking for alternative feeds)



More from Ekathimerini:

Then, some 20,000 people were thought to have taken to the streets of the capital but it was clear that on Sunday, the numbers were much larger. The protest remained peaceful, as people sang, chanted slogans against the country’s politicians and austerity measures and aimed gestures at Parliament.

Greece’s deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos had earlier dismissed the significance of the country’s ‘Indignant’ movement.

“It is a movement without an ideology or organization, which bases itself on only one feeling, that of rage,” Pangalos told Ethnos newspaper.

Greece’s version of the ‘Indignant’ movement, protesting austerity measures and demanding that politicians are more in tune with citizens’ needs, has led to thousands of people protesting in front or Parliament in Athens, as well as in other cities, every day since Wednesday. Some have started camping out overnight as well.

On Sunday, similar protests were due to be held in other European countries, including Spain, France and Italy.

Famed Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis gave his public backing to the protesters and called for “the government of shame” to go along with “the politicians for destroying, plundering and subjugating Greece.”

The protesters also found an unlikely ally in Thessaloniki’s conservative bishop, Anthimos.

An MEP representing the centrist Democratic Alliance party, Theodoros Skylakakis said that the protesters would have to affect the political process if they want to have a real impact.

“These people have to become politicized and develop a greater political realization,” he told Skai TV. “They have to progress from “this is what I don’t like” to “this is what I like”.”

Organizers posted a message on their Facebook page on Saturday calling for the messages of the protest to become more specific. Suggestions included demands for the International Monetary Fund to leave Greece, for Parliamentary immunity to be lifted and for audit commission to be set up to establish how the country’s debt was amassed.

A "commission to establish how the country's debt was amassed"... and the commission is to be funded with more debt issuance.
Pure insanity.

[Ryan Ruck]

Looks like it's shaping up to be an "interesting" summer.

Serious violence seems to be breaking out in a number of places.

FLORIDA...

One Killed, Seven Injured During Police-Involved Shootings On South Beach

May 30, 2011

A police chase and firefight on the streets of South Beach Monday morning ended with officers shooting into a car on Collins Avenue and killing the driver, bringing a bloody conclusion to Miami Beach’s annual Memorial Day weekend parties.

By 5:30 a.m., police were investigating two officer-involved shootings. One alleged gunman was dead, four bystanders were wounded — possibly by police gunfire — and three officers were being treated at Mount Sinai Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening. None has been named by police.

Club and bar hoppers in town for the massively popular Urban Beach Week scattered and screamed as gunshots followed after the weaving car. Some on the relatively empty stretch of Collins Avenue jumped behind cars or into bushes as shots grew closer and louder.

Hundreds of officers shut down the heart of South Beach.

“This incident really mars us,” said Mayor Matti Herrera Bower.

Police Chief Carlos Noriega said the weekend’s relative peace was shattered just before 4 a.m. when a driver struck an officer with his car near Collins Avenue and 16th Street. Noriega said the officer was not from Miami Beach, but an employee of one of many departments who help police South Beach’s Urban Beach Week crowds, which come for hip-hop shows and private parties and can grow to be several hundred thousand strong.

Noriega said the driver sped off and officers on bicycles had to jump out of the way as the car headed south, running over their bikes, driving on the sidewalk and striking “countless” vehicles for about three blocks. Unconfirmed witness reports say the driver was shooting out of his car as police gave chase, though Noriega said police did not find a gun.

“This is all preliminary information we’re trying to verify,” the chief said, adding that police are investigating some reports that passengers ran from the car before officers opened fire.

A YouTube video filmed from several stories above Collins Avenue shows the car driving south and then skidding to a stop as gunshots grow from distant firecracker-like pops to four echoing booms.

Pedestrians fled, or hid and then took off running, as officers approached the driver’s side of the car in a semi-circle with guns drawn.

About one minute after the car stopped, the video shows, pre-dawn darkness is lit by muzzle flashes and the air peppered with the sounds of rapid gun shots.

No one can be seen leaving the car.

Noriega said the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

He also said four bystanders were shot during the chase, and said they could have been hit by stray bullets fired by police officers.

“I’m not going to discount that possibility,” he said.

At Jackson Memorial Hospital, a woman who wouldn’t give her name told WSVN-7 that police shot her friend while they were running back to her hotel room.

“The police shot her,” she said. “It was by accident, but they still shot her.”

Another witness, Ashley Hinds, 23, from Nashville, said she was leaving Mansion on Washington Avenue when she heard the shots.

“I tried to go back in, but some lady closed the doors and even though we were knocking she never opened them,” Hinds said. “I was afraid. People were running. It was a scary scene.”

Two Miami Beach officers and a Hialeah officer were also hurt during the chase and shooting.

Noriega could not say how his department’s officers were injured, but Hialeah police spokesman Carl Zogby said the Hialeah officer may have been hit by the fleeing vehicle.

Police set up a perimeter following the shooting, which led to the second incident on Washington Avenue.

Just after 5 a.m., authorities say the driver of a gray Mercedes Benz somehow entered an area police had shut down near 14th Street and sped toward several officers.

Noriega said one officer fired into the car, which then crashed into a police cruiser near the median of the busy street.

No one was hurt, and the driver — whom police did not name — was arrested and jailed. Noriega could not say what charges he faces.

Noriega said police officers acted appropriately in both incidents.

“They were both extremely volatile and extremely dangerous,” he said. “And our officers responded to what I consider to be situations involving deadly force.”

But the American Civil Liberties Union called for an outside investigation into the shootings.

“An independent and thorough investigation must be conducted, as should happen every time a civilian is shot and killed by the police,” wrote John de Leon, president of the ACLU’s Greater Miami chapter, which often monitors the policing of the heavily black Memorial Day crowds on South Beach. “What is reported as factual early on is often times rebutted by an independent investigation.”

Both Urban Beach Week visitors and Miami Beach police have been criticized since the event first descended on South Beach in 2001.

That year, city officials and police were unaware that several hundred thousand people were heading into town for private events, and crowds grew out of hand with too few police to manage traffic and the huge influx of people.

There was at least one shooting, fights described as “near-riots” and general gridlock on city streets.

Since then, Urban Beach Week has been criticized by some as a dangerous time to be on South Beach. While there have been calm years, there have also been years like 2007, when a drive-by shooting on Lincoln Road killed two men.

Conversely, police have been sometimes called overzealous in their enforcement.

From 2002 on, the city’s entire police force has worked alternating 12-hour shifts throughout the weekend, aided by dozens of officers from outside agencies. In 2006, when police confiscated 73 firearms and arrested more than 1,000 people — mostly locals — the ACLU and NAACP questioned whether officers had engaged in racial profiling.

City officials were hoping going into Monday morning that Urban Beach Week 2011 would end on a positive note. Ocean Drive businesses dealt with a few scares Saturday night, when crowds rushed sidewalk cafes several times, but otherwise police and officials say the weekend was mostly without violence.

And while officials and business owners said Saturday night was one of the most congested nights ever in the event’s 10-year history, the Sunday night crowds were reportedly much lighter.

Still, there were roughly 450 police in South Beach’s entertainment district around 4 a.m., with clubs still open for another hour.

Noriega said there were so many officers from different agencies on South Beach and present during the time of the shootings that he wasn’t yet sure what officers had fired their weapons and what agencies were involved.

For city officials, who spend months preparing for Memorial Day crowds and roughly $1 million cleaning and patrolling the crowds, Monday’s violence was disheartening.

“It’s really disappointing,” said Assistant City Manager Hilda Fernandez, who spearheaded the city’s efforts during the weekend. “We were almost at the finish line.”

YouTube: Miami Beach shooting - Memorial Day weekend 2011 Urban Beach Week


Witnesses Recall Frightening SoBe Police Involved Shooting

May 31, 2011

Three police officers and four innocent bystanders remain hospitalized just one day after two separate police-involved shootings in Miami Beach. One person was also killed in the shooting which was caught on camera.

A YouTube video posted early Monday and obtained by CBS4 News shows the first shooting scene from several stories above.

Jameela Simmons said she saw it from the beginning and that it started when police stopped the car at 18th and Collins.

She says someone in the car started shooting at officers and bystanders.

CBS4’s Natalia Zea asked Simmons, “You saw the guy inside the car shooting?” She responded, “Yes I saw him shooting at the police officer, that’s probably why he pulled off because he had a gun,”

Zea asked what police were doing while the man was shooting. Simmons said, “They were shooting back of course, they had to open fire they were shooting back.”

Three officers were hurt in the melee, and four bystanders were shot. At least one witness says a police officer shot her sister…not the suspect.

4 women visiting from England saw police open fire on the car when it finally came to a stop.

“With all that gunfire there was no way anyone who was in that car was going to survive, absolutely no way, said Soraya Lopez.

“It was so busy, people were falling on top of each other, it was like instant reaction. People were screaming and panicking,” said Fiona Harris.

This was the group’s fourth year visiting South Beach for Memorial Day Weekend. And this traumatic incident has changed their plans for next year.

“We didn’t travel all the way across the world to see this kind of stuff, we wanted a nice peaceful vacation,” said Lopez.

Harris added, “Next year we’re gonna try Vegas.”

Police said the incident took place around 4:00 a.m. on Collins Avenue between 13th and 16th Streets. Police said there was a tense situation between some officers and a man driving a car when the man tried to hit officers with that moving car.

The home video opens with the sound of four loud gunshots and a dark-colored vehicle zooming down the street before stopping at an intersection.

The man shooting the video tells a companion, “Stay right there, don’t come to the window,” as sirens and screams are heard from below. The man tries to explain to his female friend what was going on and he said “He was shooting people from inside the car.”

About one minute into the video, at least a half dozen people, apparently police officers, approach the stopped car and a barrage of bullets rings out. One officer can be seen approaching the car shining a flashlight into the driver’s side window as the man on the video continues to say “Oh my Gosh.”

The man inside that car was killed. He has not been identified.

“If you’re driving a vehicle and you aim that at someone and drive towards that person with the intent of causing injury, that’s deadly force,” said Miami Beach Police Chief Carlos Noriega. When asked whether a weapon was found on the suspect, he replied, “I have not been informed of a weapon recovered yet,” said Chief Noriega.

Two Miami Beach officers and one Hialeah officer were taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center with unknown injuries. Those officers have not been identified.

Four innocent bystanders were injured by gun fire. Miami Beach police say it’s unclear whether the gunfire that injured the innocent bystanders came from police or the suspect in the vehicle.

CBS4 News has confirmed that at least two of the injured were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital. One person is a young woman whose boyfriend said was shot at least twice, once in the arm and also in the leg. He did not want to identify himself or the woman but he said one bullet passed through her and the other lodged in her elbow.

CBS4′s Peter D’Oench also caught up with the cousin of another man who was wounded by the stray bullets. As she walked into the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, she told D’Oench, “He is going to be ok. He was shot in the left side. I was very worried about him. I heard about this early this morning. I was very worried.”

She did not want to identify herself or her cousin, but she also told D’Oench, “I have a lot of questions about this. Who shot him? Was he shot by the police or the bad guy. And if police shot him, why did this have to happen? For what reason, I don’t know. I also want to know how many of those innocent bystanders got shot? He was just running. That’s all I heard. He was just running and they shot him.”

Angie Vasquez told also told D’Oench that her sister, Sarah Garcia, 24, was one of the innocent bystanders who was wounded. It happened right in front of her.

“Yes, it was very scary; I was scared for my life. My sister was shot in the arm, it came through her bones and fractured them. She was also shot in the leg, but her legs are going to be OK,” said Vasquez. “It was just crazy. We are here visiting from Naples all these shots rang out. It didn’t make any sense to me.”

Vasquez said that while she was not able to look inside the suspect’s car, she did not think he had a gun.

“He was never shooting back. It’s crazy, police are supposed to protect us, but instead we get shot,” said Vasquez.

As of Tuesday afternoon, police haven’t said whether they have found a gun on the suspect.

Other witnesses also talked about their frightening experience.

One witness from New York said, “The Miami Beach Police Department shot her. That was not right. There was a drive by going on. And the Miami Police shot her. It was by accident but they shot her.”

Another New York tourist described what happened.

“We were just walking going to our hotel. We seen a drive by going by. We ducked down. The police came out with their guns. They were like this and they started shooting.”

Witness Jose Vazquez said it was chaos.

“We were about to turn the corner when all the sudden we heard gun shots. Maybe about 5 to 12 gunshots. In the chaos we heard a girl got hit,” explained Vazquez. “Everyone was running. I was kind of scared. It was sporadic. Then you had more gunshots. It was kind of frightening. All the sudden the police started running with their guns drawn.”

About an hour and 15 minutes after the first shooting incident, there was another police-involved shooting at 14th Street and Washington Avenue.

“The driver of the car came directly at several officers, a couple of corrections officers, and the officer that fired a weapon. It looks like she may have been directly in front of the vehicle when he was coming at her,” said Chief Noriega.

The bullets missed the driver and that’s when he crashed into the police cruiser and was arrested.

There were no injuries involved in this intense situation.

Police were working two additional crime scenes related to the shootings: one at 15th and Drexel Avenue, and another at 14th and Collins Avenue.

Police shut down several blocks in the heart of South Beach to motorists and pedestrians. South Beach has been packed with thousands of tourists in town for the 12th annual Urban Beach weekend.

Chief Noriega stated it was relatively uneventful until Monday morning. “It was quiet last night until 3:56 a.m. It’s just a darn shame this had to happen,” said Noriega.

Overall it was a very busy weekend for law enforcement on Miami Beach this weekend.

According to Miami Beach Police, during the 2011 Memorial Day weekend in South Beach there were 431 total arrests, 66 felonies and 365 misdemeanors. Notably, there were 1,298 citations and 3,221 calls for service.

In 2010, there were 382 total arrest, 71 felonies and 311 misdemeanors. The department said that there were also 1,327 citations and 3,198 calls for service.

[Ryan Ruck]

SOUTH CAROLINA...

Myrtle Beach Police Inundated With Crime During 8-Hour Window

May 31, 2011

Myrtle Beach police received reports of five armed robberies, a stabbing, a shooting and an incident involving a shotgun being pointed at a security guard during a nearly eight-hour period in the city early Sunday and Monday.

Because so many people were in the area for Memorial Day celebrations and the Atlantic Beach Bikefest, officers responded to numerous criminal complaints and traffic violations, said Myrtle Beach police Capt. David Knipes.

"Policing this event has always come with huge challenges. Unfortunately, criminal activity is often associated with large events, which is why we have deployed additional officers to allow us to respond to this increase in activity," Knipes said Monday afternoon. "All of the officers working this event have done an outstanding job in very stressful conditions."

The incidents and their details:

At 8:50 p.m. Sunday, a 39-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound. A woman told police he tripped and fell, which caused the gun to go off in her Myrtle Beach home at 716 62nd Ave. N., according to a police report.

The woman, whose age was not listed in the report, told police she had allowed the man to stay with her for a couple of days to help him out. She had told him he could not stay with her any longer, according to the report. The man was gathering his things to leave when he picked up a 22-caliber rifle.

The woman said the man asked if she wanted to sell the gun and she told him to put the gun down, according to the report. The woman told police the man turned with the gun in his hand, tripped and fell, which caused it to go off.

Additional details about the incident were not listed in the report.

At 9:30 p.m. Sunday, a police officer saw an 18-year-old man running, yelling that he had been robbed.

The 18-year-old, a 28-year-old man and another man whose age was not listed on the report told police they left their room at the Bar Harbor and were going downstairs when they were confronted by three men with guns.

One man ran away from the robbers, but the other two told police they were robbed of their belongings. The men told police the suspects went into a nearby room and police found two men matching their description inside.

Officers found marijuana and a stolen gun inside the room and arrested the two men, Knipes said. Charges are pending.

At 11:30 p.m. Sunday, police were called to Fourth Avenue South and Ocean Boulevard when someone pointed a gun at another person, Knipes said. The victims did not want police involved.

Officers were told by Family Kingdom security that a woman reported being raped by several men, Knipes said. The guard told the woman they had to call police, but she left and a short time later he saw her with a man in a sport utility vehicle.

The guard said the woman got out of the SUV and yelled at him about her property being stolen and the man got out and pointed a shotgun at the guard, who ran.

The couple returned to the SUV and left.

At 1 a.m. Monday, a 41-year-old man reported being stabbed in the abdomen. He told police he wasn't sure where the attack occurred. The man and his wife flagged down an officer from their fifth-floor hotel balcony at 1307 S. Ocean Blvd., to report the incident.

The man told police he and his wife were each on their motorcycles stopped at a traffic signal when a large group of people surrounded them and tried to grab the necklaces from his neck. The man said he felt a pinch to his side and the couple rode back to their hotel.

The man said that on the way up to their room, he noticed he had been stabbed, according to the report. The man was taken to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center for treatment.

The man's wife told police she was behind him on her motorcycle when the incident occurred. The woman said she tried to care for him when they got to the room and she cleared a coffee table to make him lie down, but he got on the bed.

The woman said she tried to call 911 from the hotel, but was put on hold so she hung up.

Police noticed broken glass on the hotel room floor and the woman said she broke a liquor bottle when she cleared the coffee table. The woman said she cleaned up the mess before police arrived.

The woman also had a cut to her foot and she said that occurred when she cleared the coffee table and the bottle was broken. Police also noted a broken shampoo bottle in the bathroom and shampoo on the mirror and ceiling.

At 2:45 a.m. Monday a 24-year-old man told police he was robbed in the area of 12th Avenue South and Yaupon Drive. The man told officers he was walking with a friend when two men, armed with a handgun, took the man's necklace, ring and cash.

The man said the robbers had their faces covered and officers could not find the man's friend in the area, according to the report.

At 3 a.m. Monday, a couple told Myrtle Beach police they were robbed at gunpoint by two men while on the beach.

The couple, ages 30 and 21, told officers they were at the beach near 26th Avenue South when two men approached them from a sand dune and pointed a gun at them, police said.

The man told police the robbers ordered them to the ground and went through their pockets. The man said the robbers took various items including necklaces, then ordered the couple to run toward the water.

The robbers ran along the beach until the man lost sight of them. The man and woman returned to their hotel room and called police.

When police ran the man's name through their computer system they learned he was the victim of a similar style robbery early March 13 in the 100 block of North Ocean Boulevard, according to the report. The man reported the same items reported stolen early Monday.

Officers forwarded the case to detectives for investigation.

At 4:30 Monday, police were called to the parking lot of the Greyhound Bus Station at Seventh Avenue North, where a driver for Beachside Cab told police he was hit in the head and robbed while sleeping in the driver's seat of his van, Knipes said. The driver told police the robber demanded money and hit him several times in the head before he threatened him with a gun.

The driver gave the man $320 and another man with the robber demanded the driver's cell phone before he hit the man. Both men ran from the area.

[Ryan Ruck]

NEW YORK...

Mayor, Police Chief Promise Order at Ontario Beach Park

May 30, 2011



A busy Memorial Day evening at the beach ended abruptly when fights broke out among at least 100 youth.

Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies shut down Ontario Beach Park, prompting a traffic jam. Large crowds of youth ran south on Lake Ave.　

Sheriff’s and Rochester police arrested 13 people on charges ranging from disorderly conduct to drug and alcohol offenses.

Erica Blake, 34, allegedly assaulted a deputy who responded to the scene. She’s been charged with second-degree assault. Police say the deputy was scratched on the face as he was pulled into the fracas.　

Witnesses said there were many young children on the beach. When a large scramble suddenly became more like a fight, parents feared the worst.

"I was scared for a minute. I started grabbing everybody...and making sure they moved out of everybody's way," said beach-goer Catrina Davis.

"There was a group of young gentleman running through the parking lot, saying something like someone's getting beat up, and next thing you know there are 20 cops, ambulances, fire trucks," said Kelsey Davis.

Many people were at the beach to attend the city-organized Rib Festival. Those already at the festival Monday were allowed to stay in the fenced in area.　　

This isn't the first time a local venue has shut down because of fights on Memorial Day.　Seabreeze made it a policy to close on Memorial Day starting last year after rumors of violence. The city has an ongoing issue with crowds of youth at the Liberty Pole downtown.

"I think what you saw at the beach is what we’ve been seeing in many of our neighborhoods for two decades," said Councilman Adam Mcfadden. "It’s just that you had a lot of people there who are not used to that culture and got to witness it personally."

“It’s unfortunate because that’s not the kind of reputation we want in our community,” said Michele Labigan of the Charlotte Community Association. “It’s frustrating for families that want to go down there to have to deal with this.”

“That has to be a place people are comfortable going and if we need to impose some order on it we’re going to do exactly that,” said Mayor Tom Richards.

Police Chief Jim Sheppard said he had already beefed up patrols in the area.

“We know that on good days we’re going to need resources down there,” he said.

But McFadden said additional officers won’t solve the problem. He said the youth mobs the city is experiencing are related to “gang culture.”

“What do we do about these young people who don’t respect life and make going to an event miserable for the rest of the community?” McFadden said. “That’s really the issue.”

Long Island Beach Riot

May 31, 2011

A Long Island police department says it had to call for backup to quell a beach melee involving hundreds of people that spilled out onto the streets and a nearby bus depot.

Long Beach police say they are investigating the incident. There was no immediate word on arrests.

No injuries were reported.

According to Newsday , 11 Nassau police cars and two Metropolitan Transportation Authority police units assisted with the crowd control on Monday evening.

Police say a series of fights erupted on the beach just before it closed at 6 p.m. and continued for several hours. It was not clear whether the fights involved the same group of young people or different groups.

Police say the situation was brought under control by 9 p.m. MTA spokesman Sam Zambuto said the bus depot was cleared by 9:30 p.m.

[Ryan Ruck]

NORTH CAROLINA...

Uptown Chaos Causes 2012 DNC Concern

May 31, 2011

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Speed Street turned dire this weekend in more ways than one. For many businesses and fans of the festival, Thursday and Friday were disappointments due to bad weather.

The next night, however, was downright dangerous.

At 1 a.m. Sunday morning, Speed Street had shut down, but thousands of festival goers were still uptown, and that's when things got chaotic.

Andy Davis was there when the sound of gunfire started cracking through the crowd's noise.

"There were two female traffic officers, and one male officer, and they were, like, taking cover because they didn't know what was going on," David says. "We ran behind Panera bread and jumped a couple of bushes." David says he was running with a crowd, "and then we looked to our right, and there was a guy just laying there and blood was pouring from him."

One man died, another was injured, and it all led to one of the city's largest mass arrests.

The trouble started at the Charlotte Transit Center between 4th and Trade Streets, when groups of 50 or more started confronting each other and refused to leave even when police closed in. CMPD believes the incident could have been gang related.

And the Transit Center is just blocks from Time warner Cable Arena and the Convention Center, the two buildings here that will be the heart of the Democratic National Convention.

Mayor Anthony Foxx and other local DNC officials told reporters this weekend that they're confident the city is up to the task of securing the convention.

But they were also confident they had a handle on Speed Street before things went so wrong there.

"It's safe," Charlotte Fire Department Deputy Chief Jeff Dulin said Friday morning. "We've got over 400 first responders down here providing safety and security and protection for people coming out here to enjoy themselves."

Of course, the city will hardly be alone in securing the DNC. There will be FBI and Secret Service. But it is also clear that a national spotlight is on Charlotte right now, and the city's reputation will be scrutinized.

Late Monday, Mayor Foxx released the following statement:

"The crime that took place Sunday morning is disturbing and unacceptable. Neither our center city nor any of our neighborhoods are appropriate places for violence. Over the last twenty four hours, our police force has been focused on getting to the bottom of this incident. I have full confidence that Chief Monroe will use all of the tools available to find and ensure the prosecution of those responsible and take preemptive actions to make sure this rare occurrence does not repeat itself. While Charlotte's crime rate is the lowest in 30 years, the events of Sunday morning are a harsh reminder that we still have more work to do."

Family And Friends Remember Man Shot And Killed Uptown

May 31, 2011

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Monday night dozens of family and friends held a vigil near the spot in uptown Charlotte where a 22-year old man was shot and killed early Sunday morning.

The family of Antwan Smith says they are looking for answers, and they're calling for anyone with information about his murder to come forward. They also want the shooter to turn himself in.

"You know what you did was wrong," said Smith's twin brother Antonio. "Now do the right thing."

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police say Antwan Smith was killed after two groups began fighting along the 200 block of 3rd Street early Sunday morning around 1:08 a.m.

Police in Charlotte say at least 70 people were arrested in a melee that lead to the deadly shooting.

Shawnta Smith says her brother was not the intended target.

"From what we understand it wasn't even his fight but he took the bullet. He always defended his friends and people knew him for that," Smith said.

Officers say someone pulled out a handgun and started to shooting, Smith was shot in the head. He was pronounced dead by MEDIC when they arrived at the scene.

"I know somebody saw something - out of that whole crowd - someone knows. It's just a matter of time until their conscience or something - somebody's going to let us know something. All we want is closure just want to know what happened," Smith said.

Friends say Smith had gone to Speed Street Saturday night. The shooting happened two hours after the festival ended.

Another man, Durante James, was shot in the leg and transported to Carolinas Medical Center but is expected to be okay. He was no longer in the hospital as of Monday.

City leaders in Charlotte call the incident "disturbing" and "unacceptable." Charlotte's mayor, Anthony Foxx, released at statement to WBTV saying this incident serves as a harsh reminder to the city and the police department.

"The crime that took place Sunday morning is disturbing and unacceptable. Neither our center city nor any of our neighborhoods are appropriate places for violence," Foxx said in his statement. "Over the last twenty four hours, our police force has been focused on getting to the bottom of this incident. I have full confidence that Chief [Rodney] Monroe will use all of the tools available to find and ensure the prosecution of those responsible and take preemptive actions to make sure this rare occurrence does not repeat itself. While Charlotte's crime rate is the lowest in 30 years, the events of Sunday night are a harsh reminder that we still have more work to do."

Police told WBTV they saw people flashing gang signs during the melee, while challenging other people and police officers, attempting to block sidewalks and impeding traffic.

"You hear 'pop, pop, pop, pop'...people screaming..running," witness Andy Davis told WBTV.

Davis and his friend, Andrew Quinn, saw Smith lying in the street.

"When I saw the man laying there and blood pouring into the streets. I was thinking this city needs a revival - true love," Quinn said.

According to a release from CMPD, officers responded to several confrontations within the College and Trade Street area, which they say were "unrelated to the Speed Street event which ended hours earlier at approximately 11:00 p.m. on Saturday."

Police say several groups of 50 or more people were confronting each other "and refusing police commands to disperse."

"Police are trying to put up metal barricades to keep people back [and] they're pushing them over. People yelling at cops 'Forget the police, y'all aren't gonna do anything! Y'all don't run this, we run this' type thing. Gang signs being thrown up and it's something out of a movie," witness Alex Fernelius said.

Officers estimate there were between 25,000 to 30,000 people in the four block area of uptown Charlotte, with additional groups gathered around the Transit Center.

Among the approximately 70 people CMPD arrested were 15 juveniles. The majority of the arrests were made for disorderly conduct, fighting, assault and impeding traffic.

But no one was arrested for the murder.

"To the person who did it...I don't know why they did it - it was probably over something petty but it's not right for them to take someone's life - not from their family. A mother shouldn't have to bury her child," Smith said.

Smith is the father of a four year old boy.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit Detective. In addition, you may also call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

Victim's Family, City Leaders Have Questions After Uptown Shooting

May 30, 2011

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Questions continue to swirl as investigators search for whoever fired shots during one of many fights in uptown Charlotte early Sunday.

Investigators say Antwan Terrell Smith was shot and killed after someone pulled a gun just after 1 a.m. during a large fight on 3rd Street. Durante Kavon James was shot in the leg.

It was one of several fights that broke out after the Speed Street celebration in Uptown. CMPD called out its Civil Emergency Unit after reporting that many large groups of people were disobeying police, flashing gang signs, blocking traffic and fighting.

A manager at a convenience store on North Tryon Street tells NewsChannel 36 a huge crowd swarmed the store, broke a window, and began stealing things, before running away.

In all, 70 people were arrested - including 15 juveniles. Most of the arrests were for disorderly conduct, fighting, assault, and impeding traffic.

Police tried to track the shooter from 3rd Street with both a helicopter and a K-9 unit, but, as of Monday night, no one had been arrested. Antwan Smith's friends and family met back on 3rd Street to remember him.

"All we want to know is who did it. I mean, there was at least 70 people arrested, and all those people outside. Somebody seen something," his sister Shawnta Smith said through tears. "The bullet wasn’t even for him. He was just taking up for a friend and he got gunned down in the process," she said.

"Right now, they want to slander his name, but this ain't about none of that," a friend said. "We're out here to show our love and show our respect."

Several city leaders have expressed concerns about the incident. Though it has been several years since there was trouble, it is not the first Uptown gathering marred by late night arrests. The city is anxious to put its best foot forward for next year's Democratic National Convention.

Mayor Anthony Foxx released a statement:

"The crime that took place Sunday morning is disturbing and unacceptable. Neither our center city nor any of our neighborhoods are appropriate places for violence. Over the last twenty four hours, our police force has been focused on getting to the bottom of this incident. I have full confidence that Chief Monroe will use all of the tools available to find and ensure the prosecution of those responsible and take preemptive actions to make sure this rare occurrence does not repeat itself. While Charlotte's crime rate is the lowest in 30 years, the events of Sunday night are a harsh reminder that we still have more work to do."

Councilman Andy Dulin tweeted his concern. "This is UNACCEPTABLE. I am on it!"

Councilman David Howard sent a statement as well.

"I do look forward to learning more about this situation from the City staff and CMPD. Speed Street and the other race events have more often than not, gone off with no major problems over the years. I am confident that just like those other rare occasions when bad things happened, CMPD will take the proper actions to address these situations in the future. Let’s not lose sight of all the other positive years this event has been successful."

[Ryan Ruck]

TENNESSEE...

Police Shut Down Wave Country Due To Unruly Crowd

May 31, 2011



NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nearly two dozen police officers were called out to Wave Country on Monday afternoon after large crowds of people became unruly. The disturbance forced park managers to close the facility two hours early on Memorial Day.

Metro Parks director Tommy Lynch said Wave Country was nowhere near capacity, but there were plenty of problems that caused the park to close early.

"Once we got to the point that the turmoil at the front of the facility also got inside the facility, we felt for everyone's safety the best thing to do was to close it," Lynch explained.

Metro Police were called out to Wave Country around 1 p.m. because the crowd outside the gates and inside the park was acting up.

"That crowd refused to follow any kind of instructions. They became disorderly," according to Cpt. Marlene Pardue from Metro Police.

There were several fights inside. Police said one of the biggest problems was people jumping the fence to get into the park, creating chaos inside the park.

"Not just kids jumping the fence, but adults, with children and strollers, putting them over the fence, then jumping the fence," Cpt. Pardue said.

Visitors inside the park said the chaos made them feel unsafe.

"Hundreds of people were just jumping over the fence. Almost trampled my kids. I just didn't feel safe," Heather Nowack explained.

Park managers said this is the first time in 30 years they have had to close Wave Country because the crowd became uncontrollable.

"The heat, the crowd, the behavior. Everything just coming together at the wrong time and you just ended up with a mess here," said Cpt. Pardue.

Visitors who paid to go to Wave Country and want to be compensated for the early closing can contact Metro Parks to see if it will be possible to get passes for another trip to the park.

Wave Country will re-open on it's regular schedule on June 3.

[Ryan Ruck]

ILLINOIS...

Mayor Emanuel (jeez, I hate typing that), is trying to whitewash (pun intended) the reason law enforcement had to close the beach. They're claiming heat but on what planet does that make sense?

Emanuel: Cops Did Right Thing In Closing Beach

May 31, 2011

 

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said today that he agreed with the decision Monday by Chicago police to close North Avenue Beach after several people began showing signs of heat-related sickness.

The beach was closed about 6 p.m. after Chicago Fire Department paramedics were called to the beach to deal with several people who required medical attention.

At least four people were taken to area hospitals from the beach including one 18-year-old who was taken in serious-to-critical condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital during the Memorial Day holiday.

Emanuel said today he was not consulted before the shutdown and promised a review of the decision-making process behind the closure. But at first blush he thinks police "took the appropriate steps" so paramedics could get to people in distress.

"They shut the beach down to deal with what they had to deal with," Emanuel said while speaking about a deal with Comcast to provide low-cost Internet and computers for low-income Chicagoans.

"Think about the opposite, if they didn't take those steps," he said. "There would be a different set of questions here, a whole set of other questions."

"We will do like what I did after the blizzard: What did we do right, what do we need to strengthen on, and we'll have an after-action report," he said.

The Chicago Police Departm,ent released this statement today regarding the decision:

"The Chicago Police Department encourages Chicago's residents and visitors to take advantage of the city's world-class lakefront, beautiful parks and countless other attractions. However, public safety must always remain our number one priority. Thousands of beach-goers travelled to North Avenue beach yesterday, to enjoy the holiday and the onset of warmer temperatures in Chicago. The Office of Emergency Management and Communications received several calls in the early evening regarding heat-related illnesses at the beach. The Chicago Fire Department initiated an EMS Plan 1, requiring the response of multiple ambulances. Access to individuals calling for emergency medical services was hampered because of the crowded conditions at the beach. In addition, several individuals who did not call 911 for emergency medical services requested assistance on the scene from responding EMS personnel. After consultation with CFD personnel, the Chicago Police Department made the decision to close the beach. The Chicago Police Department has the authority and responsibility to take such action in the interest of public safety, and has done so in the past. We thank our public safety partners for their service and cooperation, and the public for their understanding as we worked together to provide safe conditions for everyone."

Firefighters said Monday that they also set up a misting hose to cool people off as they left the beach.

This morning workers were greeted by a beach strewn with garbage.

"The bottom line is, that was a great deal of trash," Park District spokeswoman Jessica Maxey-Faulkner said. "My guess is people perhaps got up without doing what they normally do" to clean up because the police closed the beach and they had to leave abruptly, she said.

North Avenue Beach was clean by mid-afternoon Tuesday, Maxey-Faulkner said.

Why Was North Avenue Beach Really Closed?

May 31, 2011

Was it a flash mob that forced the closure of North Avenue beach on Memorial Day?

Chicago Police News Affairs released a statement saying they had to close the beach for safety reasons, as people were suffering heat exhaustion and emergency vehicles couldn't get through to help. But, WLS listeners say there was what they called a "large gangbanger element" at the Oak Street and North Avenue beaches.

Listeners report being at the beach, and seeing dozens of gang bangers pushing people off their bikes. Another listener says those causing havoc were not dressed for the beach and looked like "bad elements."

Webster's dictionary defines a flash mob as a group of people summoned (as by e-mail or text message) to a designated location at a specified time to perform an indicated action before dispersing. Flash mobs also can be organized via social media sites. But recently in Chicago, flash mobs have gathered along Michigan Avenue to do anything but entertain.

In January, groups of teens assembled along Michigan Avenue and shoplifted at three separate stores. Eleven teens ranging in age from 14 to 17 were arrested.

Chicago Police are denying that a flash mob intent on causing havoc forced the closure of the North Avenue beach on Memorial Day Monday.

[Ryan Ruck]

MASSACHUSETTS...

Thousands Surround Gang Fight On Carson Beach

May 31, 2011

SOUTH BOSTON - Some fun in the sun was brought to an abrupt halt in Boston. Police were called in after a massive fight involving hundreds of people breaks out on a popular beach.

For the third day in a row, police were called to the Carson Beach area after reports of fighting, and swarms of people surrounding the brawlers.

Monday's fights -- believed to be between two rival gangs -- drew a crowd of about 1,000 teenagers. One veteran officer said it was the largest group he'd seen in decades.

The large groups were said to have come after feelings of simmering tensions were posted on Facebook, according to the Boston Globe .

Troopers from the state police barracks in South Boston, Boston police, transit police and officers from the University of Massachusetts police were called in to clear the area.

The sweep meant even those not involved in the ruckus were forced to end their Memorial Day plans early. Police believe the teens involved in the fights came in from other parts of the city by train.

State police will now reportedly meet with gang units to root out the players involved and try to stem the tide of the beach fighting.

Only one arrest was made of a 14-year-old for disorderly conduct.

Thousands surround gang fight on Carson Beach: MyFoxBOSTON.com

Fights Break Out At Carson Beach

May 31, 2011

Fights broke out among rival gang members on Carson Beach in South Boston yesterday and spilled out across the city, triggering a massive law enforcement response from at least five agencies to stem the violence.

Police said the gang members are part of a group of more than 1,000 youths who have used social media sites like Facebook to plan unruly gatherings on the beach on three of the past four nights. The beach falls under the jurisdiction of the State Police, who have been unable to prevent the violence.

The response yesterday resembled crowd-control tactics reserved for major sporting victories.

State Police were already on edge, after a trooper was accosted Sunday night by members of the group. The trooper chased one of the youths, who ran, clutching the waistband of his shorts “consistent with the manner in which a person with a gun would hold it,’’ said David Procopio, a spokesman for the State Police.

Yesterday, the beach, located steps away from the South Boston State Police barracks, attracted thousands of families and other Memorial Day revelers gathered for the unofficial start of summer. While the majority of the crowd was peaceful, the unruly youths again gathered at the beach and in nearby parking lots.

Three state troopers responded around 5:30 p.m. to the first report of a fight. When they arrived, they were confronted by about 1,000 people, Procopio said.

The troopers called for backup. State Police streamed in, State Police Special Tactical Operations teams and Boston SWAT teams arrived, and the Boston Police Department activated its Emergency Deployment Teams, which brought officers into South Boston from all over the city. State, Boston, Boston Housing, UMass, and Transit Police responded, for a total of more than 100 police officers.

For the third time in four days, police dispersed the crowd, rushing everyone off the streets.

The dispersal caused some tense moments between those not involved with the youths and police, who formed a line to herd the crowd south, down William J. Day Boulevard. Some jostled and argued with officers.

At one moment, SWAT officers were rushing a crowd down the boulevard, and a woman yelled at a state trooper because the little boy with her was trying to put his shoes on as the trooper was pressing them to keep walking.

As the crowd broke up, hundreds of the unruly youths boarded the Red Line at JFK/UMass Station. Some went north; some went south.

According to Transit Police, a group of young people ended up at Downtown Crossing and started a fight in the station that spilled onto the street. Clashes were also reported at other stops.

Hundreds who went south exited the T at Savin Hill and spilled into McConnell Park, where families were gathered with young children and a Little League baseball game was going on.

Annoyed residents, cooking hot dogs and watching after their children, clashed with and jeered at the unwelcome group of youths.

“Arrest them. Arrest them all,’’ said Chris Garside, 42, a Savin Hill resident who angrily confronted a youth who was leaning against a car. Several Boston police officers standing nearby walked over and whisked the youths away, back toward Savin Hill Avenue.

A handful of youths were taken into custody Friday and Sunday, and by 8:30 p.m. yesterday, State Police had arrested two people in the Memorial Day melee, Procopio said. There were no reports of serious injuries yesterday.

The groups have been larger and rowdier than even veteran South Boston troopers remember.

“Veteran troopers assigned to the State Police barracks for a couple of decades have never seen as large a volume of kids that were there tonight,’’ Procopio said.

Procopio said the troublemakers were mostly 14 to 19 years old.

He said State Police will meet with Boston police gang officers this week, in an attempt to identify gang members and key players who have organized the gatherings.

[Ryan Ruck]

Sorry, almost forgot
ALABAMA...

Decatur, Ala. Water Park Closes After Fights Start

Officials at a water park in Decatur say they shut down early after a series of fights broke out between teenagers.

Police say the fights, mostly involving girls, broke out at Point Mallard's water park on Monday.

They say the fights continued across the city, with reports of brawls at a gas station and at a McDonald's.

Police say no arrests were made Monday evening and no one was seriously hurt.

Julianne Lowman, Point Mallard's marketing director, says park officials decided it was in the best interests of patrons and employees to close early. She says anyone with a receipt showing they entered the park at 3:30 p.m. or later can use it for admission on another day.

[American Patriot]

Ok, ok... riots.


I don't see any revolution, I see a bunch of leftist fucks, kids mostly causing problems for everyone else.

[Ryan Ruck]

Teen Mobs Suspected In Downtown Chicago Assaults

June 6, 2011


From left: Dvonte Sykes, Trovolus Pickett, Derodte Wright

One man was smoking a cigar Saturday night on a bench in the Streeterville neighborhood when his evening was interrupted by a group of young men who robbed and beat him. Another man was parking his motor scooter outside Northwestern University's downtown campus when the same group apparently made him their next victim, police said.

Police believe the group of about 15 to 20 youths in their mid- to late teens also was responsible for two more attacks moments later along the lakefront.

At least seven people thought to be part of the group were arrested Saturday in connection with the robberies and mob action, a crime that has become a problem in Streeterville, the Gold Coast and the Magnificent Mile, authorities said.

Five youths were charged early Monday in connection with a series of robbery events that occurred about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the area of the Chicago Avenue and Lake Shore Drive, police said.

Dvonte Sykes, 17, of the 7500 block of South Normal Avenue was charged with two felony counts of robbery and one count of mob action violence to person and property.

Two 16-year-old boys also were charged in a juvenile delinquency petition for the same incident. One boy was charged with a felony count of robbery and one count of mob action violence to person and property, police said. The other boy was charged with one count of misdemeanor theft, control of stolen property of less than $300 and mob action. The youths were not named because they are juveniles.

Two other youths, Trovolus Pickett, 17 and Derodte Wright, 18, were charged in connection with a robbery on the 300 block of East Chicago Avenue, police said.

Pickett of the 8400 block of South Dorchester Avenue was charged with three felony counts of robbery, this includes the robbery committed on the North Lake Shore Drive. Wright of the 3500 block of South State Street was charged with one count of felony robbery for the incident on East Chicago Avenue, police said.

In mid-May, Chicago police started implementing strategies to address mob action incidents, which are often coordinated via text messages or social networking websites, in downtown and neighborhoods near it. Police said the youths in many cases come downtown using mass transit.

Police, however, have stressed that this phenomenon, involving large groups of teens, is not unique to Chicago. Philadelphia has had problems with mobs of teenagers, who also used social networking technology, assaulting pedestrians and vandalizing property since at least last year, according to media reports.

The latest incidents in Chicago apparently started about 8:20 p.m. Saturday, when a 68-year-old man from Washington state was sitting on a bench smoking a cigar in the 300 block of East Chicago Avenue as the young men approached, authorities said. The group beat him, robbed him of an iPad and BlackBerry and fled the scene, authorities said.

What authorities believe was the same group also approached a 34-year-old man as he parked his motor scooter outside a building on Northwestern's downtown campus along East Chicago Avenue, just west of Lake Shore Drive. One of the males in that group threw a baseball at the victim's face and knocked him to the ground, and several others allegedly punched and hit him multiple times.

Authorities said the group attacked two more men moments later on a nearby bicycle path. One was a 42-year-old man visiting from Japan, who was beaten up and had his iPod stolen from him. The other was a man in his 20s who was punched and had his bike, wallet and iPhone taken.

None of the victims was seriously hurt.

On Sunday afternoon, the buzzing of a Chicago police helicopter flying back and forth along Lake Michigan could be heard nearby at Lake Shore Park, at Chicago Avenue and Lake Shore Drive. Police also said they are monitoring surveillance cameras on Michigan and Chicago avenues, State Street and the beaches.

Nellie Maldonado and her boyfriend, Pete Tirado, who operates a hot dog stand outside the park's field house, said that during the weekdays they have seen packs of 10 or more teens occupy the benches several feet away from where Tirado sets up shop. The way they talk and how they dress, Tirado said, makes it appear as if they were part of a street gang.

"When I see these (benches) get loaded with (those teens), I pick up and leave," said Tirado, who also had his stand at the same spot last year.

Tirado and Maldonado were working at the stand Saturday, but they left during the afternoon thunderstorm. They said they heard on Sunday about at least one of the attacks from customers.

"I'm not going to run away from here, but I don't stay after a certain time," said Tirado, who added he usually leaves the park around 7:30 p.m. at the latest.

Other recent mob actions downtown include one in April, when a group of about 70 youths stormed a McDonald's restaurant at State Street and Chicago Avenue and created a disturbance. The restaurant was closed for nearly three hours.

In February, Loyola University Chicago warned its Water Tower campus students and staffers about "flash mob offenders" who would exit from Chicago Avenue's CTA Red Line station and allegedly steal items from retail stores around the campus.

Although there were reports of violent disturbances on North Avenue Beach on Memorial Day, acting police Superintendent Garry McCarthy told reporters later in the week that the beach was closed early because overcrowding made it difficult for ambulances to respond to people on the beach suffering from heat exhaustion.

Saturday's attacks happened in the Near North Police District, which includes areas of downtown such as Streeterville, the Gold Coast and the Magnificent Mile.

Crime statistics for those particular portions of the district weren't immediately available. But districtwide numbers show there were 141 robberies between January and the end of April, compared with 128 during the same time period the year before.

Although police have said retail theft was down by nearly 2 percent in the district between January and the end of April, there was an increase of at least 10 percent in juvenile shoplifting arrests.

Police and merchants stepped up security efforts after a rash of youth shoplifting incidents in February, said John Chikow, president of the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association. Chikow said police and individual merchants are monitoring social networking sites, the lines of communication apparently used by some teens to coordinate mobs.

"The best indicator that the police are doing their job and the community is reporting the incidents is an uptick (in arrests)," Chikow said.

From inside his newsstand on the corner of Chicago and Michigan, Jignesh Moodi said he has watched teen shoplifters apparently coordinating group assaults on stores via cellphone.

"They're on their phones and you see one outside say, 'Go!' and the ones inside grab stuff and run out," Moodi said. "They try to run up and take my magazines."

Pausing from passing out fliers for a discount men's store in the 400 block of North Michigan on Sunday, Joseph Reyes recalled being roughed up by a mob of about a dozen teens in October while he was wearing a gorilla suit to promote a Halloween store. Similar groups tried to shoplift from the store, prompting owners to hire private security.

"I'm from a bad neighborhood, and these kids are from some messed-up neighborhoods," Reyes said. "This is the best part of the city. This is our bread and butter. Why would you want to mess that up?"

Skyes, Pickett and Wright are scheduled to appear in bond court later Monday.

[vector7]

Carville: 2012 could be ‘very rough’ for Obama, says civil unrest ‘imminently possible’

Published: 12:15 PM 06/06/2011 | Updated: 2:50 PM 06/06/2011

By Jeff Poor - The Daily Caller
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Who ever thought the saying, “It’s the economy stupid,” from James Carville in 1992 would become a staple in presidential elections 20 years later?

That expression made its way into the campaign in 2008, and according to Carville, it could be the theme of the 2012 campaign as well as President Barack Obama seeks reelection. In an appearance on Monday’s “Imus in the Morning” on the Fox Business Network, the former Clinton adviser said that, based on the May jobs number, if the unemployment picture doesn’t improve, 2012 could be rough for the president.

“[L]ook, I don’t think anybody — if 54,000 new jobs is the new standard, it’s going to be a very, very rough 2012 for President Obama,” Carville said. “But the three-month average was 160,000. If that is the case, then he will do OK. I can’t tell you what will happen. But yes, if this, if this last jobs number is an indication of future job numbers, it’s going to be very, very rough.”

Carville cited a 2009 book by Carmen M. Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff called “This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly.” According to the book, the current economic situation, as with similar crises of this magnitude, will take time to work itself out and there may be little Obama can do.

“It is going to be very difficult,” Carville said. “But the country, if that is what we are doing, this is gruesome on people. This unemployment rate for this long is a humanitarian crisis of the first magnitude. This financial crisis, people have studied this by the way, they know that the things take this long to work their way through.

The aftermath of these things — kind of an academic book that is dry entitled ‘This Time is Different.’ What it concluded is that it is not different this time. They studied it, the aftermath of the financial crisis. What we are going through is imminently predictable.

But this is a terrible thing that has happened to people’s lives. I think the president at one level understands that, you know. But he is limited in what he can do. So we’ll just have to see. But it’s going to be hard. If 54,000 jobs is the new norm — this is going to be very, very tough. Some people say it just might be one more thing. We don’t know.”

But Carville said the consequences aren’t limited to politics alone. He warned of heightened risk of civil unrest with the bleak economic picture.

“You know, look — this is a humanitarian — you know, you’re smart enough to see this,” Carville said. “People, you know, if it continues, we’re going to start to see civil unrest in this country. I hate to say that, but I think it’s imminently possible.”

[Ryan Ruck]

Huge San Jose Brawl, Stabbing After Music In The Park May Have Been Race War

June 10, 2011



A brawl that left five teens with stab wounds or other injuries may have been a race battle or a turf war sparked between two large groups after the popular downtown Music in the Park event, police said Friday.

Detectives still were not sure what happened in the McDonald's parking lot at San Carlos and Third streets on Thursday night, when two San Jose teens, ages 17 and 19, were rushed to the hospital after being stabbed, leaving them with serious and moderate injuries, respectively.

Three more San Jose teens, ages 16, 17 and 19, were assaulted, including two who were taken to the hospital. All five victims are expected to live, and no suspects have been identified.

Department spokesman Officer Jose Garcia said detectives are looking into the possibility the fight was a race or turf war, noting half the group was Hispanic and the other half was black. He said the groups, which exchanged words before the fight, might have simply been "posturing."

Part of the confusion centers around the fact that there were up to 60 people in the area either involved in the fight or witnesses to it, yet some of them have been unwilling to cooperate, Garcia said.

But some downtown residents said Friday that it was only the latest scary incident after Music in the Park, in which large crowds and bands rock out at Plaza de Cesar Chavez each Thursday from June through August. It wasn't clear whether the groups had just left the event, which is right down the street and let out shortly before the fight started.

Steve Cohen, head of the West of Fourth Street Neighborhood Association, said the event has been attracting "gang bangers," and he noted some businesses and residents have been pressing downtown and city leaders to improve the safety in the area after the event. He said a recent grant to improve lighting there apparently hasn't been enough.

Cohen said the crowds gather because of the large event but rarely go to the park, leading to problems in the surrounding streets.

"It only happens on Thursday when there's Music in the Park. I think that there's a correlation here," said Cohen, who's lived a block from the McDonald's for 30 years. "There's no crime (on other days), so for anything to happen, it's dramatic."

Last July, a teenager was arrested after a stabbing during the event. A month later, a fight involving more than 40 people broke out at a 7-11 store after a concert -- one person was knocked unconscious and another person whipped out a gun -- and shortly thereafter, down the street, someone was shot.

Garcia said the San Jose Downtown Association, which organizes the event, paid for 16 officers and two sergeants to patrol the park on Thursday, but they were mostly cleared when the event ended, about 20 minutes before the fight down the street.

"We have had -- at the park itself -- problems down there when there's Music in the Park," Garcia said. "It's not every single time, but on occasion. Patrol can always be called in to assist if needed."