Flash mob violence on the rise

[Schadenfroh]

Philly is getting tired of it...
http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139507252/officials-in-phila-plan-curfews-to-curb-teen-violence

Earlier this week, Philadelphia officials announced their plan to fight mob violence, which has escalated in recent months.
...
The city's strategy includes tightening teen curfews in parts of the city at 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Nutter says he's also ready to punish mob participants — and their parents.
...
Philadelphia police have increased patrols. Commissioner Charles Ramsey says he's talked with other law enforcement superintendents around the country for ideas too.

Teens are upset with the proposed rules:

Outside Philadelphia City Hall earlier this week, a small group of teens sat on the ground.

"We're out here reading books in silence. We're basically being the anti-violence flash mob," said 18-year-old Maria Clark. "We're showing people that we do do things positive. Not everybody's violent."

The participants can get all the attention that they want when the shop owners or police beat the crap out of them and they spend a few months in jail.

She says the flash mobs are a cry for attention.

I agree with punishing the participants and their parents:

"They are your children. You need to raise them, and you are responsible for them," he says. "When you come to pick up your son or daughter who has broken the curfew, you will be issued, on the first occasion, a warning."

After a warning, the city will begin issuing fines up to $500.

Is the situation in Philly really this bad?

Nutter says he's tired of the roving, reckless bands of teens who are looking to cause trouble.
...
"I don't care what your economic status is in life, you do not have a right to beat somebody's ass on the street. None," he says.
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"These are people that just happen to be walking down the street at the time, and then they're attacked. It's the randomness of it, I think, that adds to the anxiety that people feel about what's going on," Ramsey says.

Teen violence is spreading:

It's not just a Philadelphia problem. Cities from Mobile, Ala., to Chicago, Ill., are turning to teen curfews in hopes they will keep young people under control.

Looks like racism is on the rise in Philly:

"I am afraid of young, black men now. It's very annoying because there are a lot of young, black men in Philadelphia.

The increasing popularity of flash mob violence reminds me of a certain book and movie...

Maybe the teens have discovered Moloko Plus?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWLByMshYIU

 

[CPA]

In his recent speech, Nutter had some very harsh words for the teens. I'm warming up to the guy.

 

[spidey07]

In his recent speech, Nutter had some very harsh words for the teens. I'm warming up to the guy.

Has he been called racist yet? But yeah, this stuff is on the rise and it's best if folks start preparing for more of it. As long as the folks are getting away with it, there will only be more. I'm starting to train more on multiple targets.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

utter has ramped up his rhetoric. Speaking at his church last weekend, Nutter — who is black — told black youth who participated in the mobs they've damaged their own race.

For Emily Guendelsberger, the mob violence changed everything. The 27-year-old's suffered a broken leg in a mob attack. Several of her friends were kicked in the head by the mass of young people.

Guendelsberger says since the attack, things are different for her.

"I am afraid of young, black men now. It's very annoying because there are a lot of young, black men in Philadelphia. I honestly just wish I could go back to how I was before," she says.

Leaders from the African-American community stood beside the mayor when he announced the city's plan. The commissioner says community support will be key to stopping the violence.

are most of the participants black?

 

[Saint Nick]

The US needs a taste of what is going on in the UK.

 

[rudder]

flash mobs... london riots... the same reason.

uneducated, bored kids with very little parental involvement in their lives.

 

[mizzou]

Strict enforcement of curfew and civil disobedience laws can take care of this in the US. Its not an unfixable problem.

Kids just need to be aware there is no guaranteed safety in a mob.

Boredom is a HUGE factor in these unnecessary acts along with poor parenting

 

[xj0hnx]

The US needs a taste of what is going on in the UK.

If what's going on in the UK happened here the results would be a LOT different. Not to mention as seen in the past the rioting wouldn't get much past their own neighborhoods.

 

[mizzou]

Ill be shocked and amazed at "flash mob violence" occurences when they start occuring outside of urban areas with high poverty.

Thy still need to be stopped and given high priority, but im just not feeling like something new is going on

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Ill be shocked and amazed at "flash mob violence" occurences when they start occuring outside of urban areas with high poverty.

Thy still need to be stopped and given high priority, but im just not feeling like something new is going on

really?
activities such as these are pretty unheard of and hard to organize and execute on a large scale before social media.
this is new shit and will continue to increase if nothing is done about it. criminals will only be emboldened if they see that there are no repercussions.

 

[Moonbeam]

Arab Spring is coming to America. Soon world governments will be asking each other to liberalize. No modern societies will survive the information revolution. People aren't going to sit by when they begin to learn and understand what is happening to them via their cell phones and music. Rage is just karma come round.

 

[Genx87]

Arab Spring is coming to America. Soon world governments will be asking each other to liberalize. No modern societies will survive the information revolution. People aren't going to sit by when they begin to learn and understand what is happening to them via their cell phones and music. Rage is just karma come round.

Oh? Topple our govt for a new dictatorship? Sounds wonderful!

 

[mizzou]

really?
activities such as these are pretty unheard of and hard to organize and execute on a large scale before social media.
this is new shit and will continue to increase if nothing is done about it. criminals will only be emboldened if they see that there are no repercussions.

Not saying it isnt new im just saying im not totally surprised.

If you want my opinion, people who flash mob to conduct crime should be punished on the same level as organized crime and treated as such. The problem i see right now is that people do it for the lulz, and all we need to do is take the lulz away.

The publics job is to not bitch about higher local taxes needed for more paddy wagons and more room in the jail.


Edit: i am contradicing myself, but random acts of youth violence has always been a problem but you are right that social media takes to a new level

 

[ichy]

Bring back public flogging and the pillory.

 

[Wordplay]

Open fire on these idiots and it will die down, literally.

 

[rudder]

Arab Spring is coming to America. Soon world governments will be asking each other to liberalize. No modern societies will survive the information revolution. People aren't going to sit by when they begin to learn and understand what is happening to them via their cell phones and music. Rage is just karma come round.

until the corporate overlords turn off all cell phone and internet access.

 

[spidey07]

One nice thing, the media FINALLY had to start reporting this crap. They've been ignoring it, sweeping it under the rug most of the year.

 

[ichy]

What's really frustrating is that it's been proven that harsh enough punishments, applied consistently, can nearly eliminate crime in a modern society. Take a look at Singapore. I've known women who lived there and said they'd feel absolutely comfortable walking around alone at 3 AM. Western society has become too squeamish to punish criminals with sufficient brutality though, so this is the crap we get.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

What's really frustrating is that it's been proven that harsh enough punishments, applied consistently, can nearly eliminate crime in a modern society. Take a look at Singapore. I've known women who lived there and said they'd feel absolutely comfortable walking around alone at 3 AM. Western society has become too squeamish to punish criminals with sufficient brutality though, so this is the crap we get.

this.
i've always thought laws were too lax in this country.

 

[spacejamz]

Call me a racist but if I see a group of 'african-american' wannabe thugs on the street now, I am going to do my best to avoid them...they might be some LDS kooks or the Math Club in disguise or whatever, but why take a chance on being wrong???

I'm kinda curious to know if the self-righteous here would want their teenage daughter to be on the same street as a bunch of these thugs are on, especially in Philly....

 

[JockoJohnson]

One nice thing, the media FINALLY had to start reporting this crap. They've been ignoring it, sweeping it under the rug most of the year.

Local Philly news has been reporting it for quite some time now. They said that alot of it is organized on facebook. Lately, it has gotten more violent and not so much organization on facebook - enough people just get together and start acting like morons.

 

[ichy]

Call me a racist but if I see a group of 'african-american' wannabe thugs on the street now, I am going to do my best to avoid them...they might be some LDS kooks or the Math Club in disguise or whatever, but why take a chance on being wrong???

Same here. Don't get me wrong, there are thuggish white guys I'd avoid as well, but I live in Baltimore and the statistics are pretty clear about who's committing most of the crime around here...

 

[Moonbeam]

Oh? Topple our govt for a new dictatorship? Sounds wonderful!

The beautiful thing about losers is that they want everybody to lose. The losers who riot in the streets are our creation. We want them to lose and they now want us to lose. We are therefore all going to lose. We know that punishment in prison will strengthen their will for revenge and educate them on how to be real criminals, so naturally that's the first thing we'll do.

Losers are very stupid and have a death wish, as I said. Morons see punishment as the answer to everything. What the losers like us never figure out is that folk like us who have more to lose are afraid of punishment but that the more advanced in their losses have nothing to lose and fear nothing. They will happily destroy this whole loser system.

The only people who will want to live are folk for whom life has a meaning. In a capitalist system there are winners and losers so everybody will lose in the end.

The only society that can work is one that strives for the common good, where the self actualization of every person is the aim, one in which the welfare of every person isn't a theory but an actuality that is happening.

I's not going to be easy since it will require solving the problem of self hate and the unconscious will to self destruction it carries.

You are the world and the world you see is your reflection.

The world sleeps in denial.

 

[Naeeldar]

are most of the participants black?

The one in Philly have been yes. It's interesting because Nutter is saying the same thing Bill Cosby has said and he got raked over the coals. It's going to be tough to rake Nutter over the coals though given the damage these flash mobs have caused in Philly.

And to whoever asked, yes they are getting that bad. There have been quite a few of these ( relatively speaking) this year. It's pretty damn disruptive to businesses and people have been seriously hurt.

One flash mob a few months ago had a side effect of backing up traffic for hours in several directions.

 

[Macamus Prime]

Quick - cut more social and community programs!