9 arrested, one tasered in water balloon melee.

[TheMightyFavog]

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=760805

Nine Riverside University High School students were arrested and three Milwaukee police officers were taken to hospitals after a confrontation erupted between a group of students and officers near N. Oakland Ave. and E. Locust St. after dismissal Tuesday afternoon, a police spokeswoman said.

(snip)

A water balloon fight broke out near the intersection, said multiple people who work in the area and saw the confrontation.

A student threw a water bottle that either hit a police sergeant or a squad car, Flynn said.

(snip)

One of the nine students who were arrested was Tasered, Schwartz said. The parent of a student was also arrested.

[Serial Mom]

1. OMFG - is this becoming a police state?

A water ballon fight?? We had those all the time late in school year on the playgrounds and in the streets near our school from about 6th grade on. In high school on senior day, we had a squirt gun fight that escalated into water ballons INSIDE the school. We did get into trouble with the school, but the police did not get involved.

A student threw a water bottle that either hit a police sergeant or a squad car, Flynn said -and yeah, I believe the 2nd part of Flynn's comment, it most likely hit the car! Big deal - to taser one and arrest other students over this!

PUT THEM ALL IN JAIL!! :sarcasm:

[sasquatch]

2. I'm sort of glad the one cop that jumped into it got his nose broke

Hey Jackass: walk away!

[QueenOfCalifornia]

4. That's nice

the police officer was kicked in the face while he was down. You are "sort of glad" he had his nose broke.

:shrug: why would anyone be any kind of glad about that?

[sasquatch]

6. Because its the only way those sociopaths can be taught a lesson

Until we start treating these criminals like actual criminals and getting convictions you take your victories any way you can get'em.

[MrCoffee]

12. That's the dumbest fucking thing I've ever read in here

which is saying something.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

13. What's the opposite of "Recommended"

This was a fucking riot. Cops were getting knocked to the ground and then kicked in the face.

And a certain number of stupid fucks on this board think that's somehow a good idea.

When cops get out of line and abusive, they should be thrown off the force and prosecuted. When they're doing their jobs and following procedure, they should get our support.

[sasquatch]

15. Please, they were protecting their friend from bullies that wear a badge

I know its your hometown and probably think they were doing their job. But I don't buy this story for a minute, I just think they were trying to take this kid, just because they could, and instead of the sheeple sitting back and doing nothing they attacked. Now I wish they would've videotaped it and put it on youtube and shamed the cops into being fired or shunned from the community, but you know shit happens.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

16. And the witnesses?

This was a crowded intersection at 4:00 p.m. The police were there in the first place because of all the fights and disorderly conduct that had been occurring after school. And the store owner who watched it all happen said that the student got physical after the cop started to approach.

[sasquatch]

17. Probably a guy that was covering up for the police

Like in NYC when that store owner tried to force that guy into giving false testimony to the grand jury. Too bad the judge was on the take.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

19. Right...

From the article...

"According to Schwartz, Milwaukee Public School officials and a number of people who work near the intersection, a large group of students gathered in the area about 4 p.m."

There were multiple people who witnessed the altercation, and they all gave the same account of the events. Are they all on the MPD payroll?

[sasquatch]

27. That's too broad of a description

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

31. I don't think so...

Here's a link to the legal standard -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU">Findlaw

[redqueen]

18. "When cops get out of line and abusive, they should be thrown off the force and prosecuted"

How often does that happen?

I'm not saying this kneejerking (*either* way) is right... but honestly... does it take a rocket surgeon to figure out why most people don't necessarily tend to assume that abusive cops are thrown off the force even, let alone prosecuted?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

20. I agree with you..

I used to live in Cincinnati, and they had a massive problem with their police force (probably still do, for all I know). Police Departments and Police Unions don't do their communities any favors when they stonewall and protect abusive officers.

That being said, you still don't get the right to pick a fight with a police officer. And if you do, you're going to get beat down.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. Our police force, here, is awful in their abusive, condescending

manner toward citizens. My town is mostly blue collar, hardworking people, mixed in with affluent along the water. They treat everyone like white trash. WannaBe and I were singled out for the treatment we received (you could call it "beaten down") as a scare tactic. So many times, Jeff, it is a power trip these men are on. :( I do not trust police officers now. Neither does my daughter and we are law abiding citizens who shouldn't have cause for concern.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

24. I blame the LAPD

It was the LAPD, because of the sprawling nature of Los Angeles, that really created the "modern" police force with its emphasis on patrol cars that essentially removed officers from the communities they were meant to serve. Police officers became strangers who drove through neighborhoods without interacting with the community, and so even law-abiding citizens became less-they-trustful of these men who they didn't know. The sooner cities latch on to the concept of Community Oriented Policing (as more than a fig leaf) the sooner community relations will improve.

[ScreamingMeemie]

26. You could be right.

Although, this city's police force has been this way for a long time. I will never forgive them for what they have done to my family. I was going to let it slide but I can't. Not for my sanity. Also, I should have never read the book "The Choirboys".

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

29. Wait just a damn minute...

We're in the LOUNGE, for Chrissake. Shouldn't one of us stop this discussion RIGHT NOW and make a sophomoric reference to bodily secretions?

[ScreamingMeemie]

30. I'll let you take this one.

:)

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

32. Chicken...

Least you could do is work the "Brazillion Joke" in there somewhere...

[ScreamingMeemie]

33. That's it, I'm alerting, and ignoring, and making snide comments

about this in other threads for the rest of the day.

I may also hang onto this, emotionally, for the next year and a half...and stalk you to every post you dare make.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

34. Rut Roh

:hide:

[knixphan]

35. totally in agreement

[redqueen]

23. You're right of course...

I guess I'm just thinking that maybe if police don't want this type of thing to start being far more commonplace... they might try policing their own.

If "officers of the peace" get away with not following rules... why would some of the more aggressive citizens bother to do so?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

25. It was really frustrating in Cincinnati...

While I have to commend a "shop steward" who looks our for his dues-paying union members, at the same time, these guys aren't plumbers and pipefitters. They're cops. And they have a unique work environment. It was to the point where the police and the community simply couldn't figure out how to communicate with each other. Crimes would go unreported because the community was more afraid of the police than they were the gangs.

[Richardo]

3. "Water Balloon Melee" is a great band name

:D

[otherlander]

5. These bastards can get away with anything, can't they?

:grr:

Assault? No, no, we only charge the mere mortals with that.

[Carnea]

7. THIS WAS NOT A WATER BALLOON FIGHT

from the article

"A student threw a water bottle that either hit a police sergeant or a squad car, Flynn said.

When the sergeant approached the student, the student began “grappling” with him, drawing more than 50 students to the scuffle, Flynn said.

The sergeant and two other officers tried to handcuff the student. One officer was pushed to the ground and then kicked in the face by a student, suffering a broken nose, Flynn said."

At least one of the students needs to spend some time in prison. And there is a world of difference between a water balloon and a water bottle.

Plus the cops were there because of previous assaults on children.

We should support the police in this case.

[Puzzle]

8. Well, the article says it was

There are really not enough details to form an informed opinion, but it says there was a water balloon fight and someone threw a water bottle (empty? plastic?) that hit a cop or a cop car (by accident? is throwing an empty plastic bottle that accidentally hits a cop car a big deal?).

Also, it's the police chief who says a water bottle was thrown, so take that for what its worth unless corroborated by witnesses... police lie.

[Carnea]

9. Kids are getting bullied and beaten.

So officers case the area of the assaults after some complaints. They see what appears to be possible bullying they go to investigate one officer is pushed to the ground and kicked in the face breaking his nose.

I know police lie and I know they can be real assholes. But to call assault on an officer and what sounds like a near riot condition a water balloon fight seems inappropriate.

We want people to interfere when children beat other children then we get upset when those adults do their job.

[Puzzle]

10. I'm not "approving" the broken nose

But I don't think what happened is really all that clear from the article. And how do we know the policeman was not assaulting the student, and that's why the others jumped in?

Also, did you notice one of the cops had just killed two dogs? He may have been pumped up and ready to crack some heads.

[petronius]

14. The thing about the dogs was somewhere else - the article is describing

three separate incidents that occurred at roughly the same time. The officer in the motorcycle accident was going to help the officers who shot the dogs; both things are unrelated to the water balloon riot.

[Bucky]

11. I was gonna read the whole article, but if I just read the headline & run w/ my own prejudices...

I can be much more satisfied in my sanctimonious condemnations of our "fascist police state".

Reading stuff like "When the sergeant approached the student, the student began 'grappling' with him, drawing more than 50 students to the scuffle" and "The sergeant and two other officers tried to handcuff the student. One officer was pushed to the ground and then kicked in the face by a student" just conflicts too deeply with my preconceived notions for me to deal with.

[Taverner]

21. but the heat came ´round and busted me for smiling on an cloudy day

[grantcart]

28. Thats not a water fight - this is a water fight - Thai New Year tradition