stabbing at Washington Ave. and E. Pkwy

Don't u understand???

Labor Day Stabbings are PROTOCOL.

It's unfortunate but it's part of the program.

I am a little surprised it happened so far west though, they're usually regulated to the Utica ave area.

Carnivore wrote: I'm not surprised it happened there. The police created a problem situation at that intersection by choking off all pedestrian traffic to a narrow column, and arbitrarily stopping people from crossing Eastern Parkway, even after the parade was over (although at 5:03pm, I don't think it was completely over yet). If they just doubled the width of the crossing column when they let people cross, everyone would get through easily. At 1pm when I first crossed there at least the officers stationed there were friendly. At around 6pm when I crossed back, not so much.

I'm sure you're not saying that the cops created a situation where somebody HAD to stab somebody else.

Having said that, it's a shame that the cops didn't know enough to ease things when tensions were already running high. The fact that the parade was supposed to be a celebration notwithstanding, I'm starting to think there's just too many people for us to play nicely. The fact that there isn't more violence on a daily basis is a tribute to... something or other. Human decency. Whatever.

Carnivore wrote: I'm not surprised it happened there. The police created a problem situation at that intersection by choking off all pedestrian traffic to a narrow column, and arbitrarily stopping people from crossing Eastern Parkway, even after the parade was over (although at 5:03pm, I don't think it was completely over yet). If they just doubled the width of the crossing column when they let people cross, everyone would get through easily. At 1pm when I first crossed there at least the officers stationed there were friendly. At around 6pm when I crossed back, not so much.

I really doubt that the NYPD created the situation that led to this stabbing. That said, I thought that the NYPD officers along the parade route had minimal input with crowd control. The intersections of EP with Franklin and Bedford became dangerously choked with people by about 3:30. NYPD really needed to open up Bedford and Franklin to allow people to get the heck off of Eastern Parkway, instead of funneling down the pedestrian traffic into a narrow corridor. Instead, I head a cop say "They're not letting me open up the street."

joseph11 wrote: i have an idea. Next year lets have all the cops enjoy their Labor Day and take the day off. The crowds will not be packed together, which should stop all the tension. With no tension there will be no violence. Right?

Um, no way. Overall, I was really impressed with the NYPD presence in the neighborhood. It certainly made me feel safer with that enormous crowd a block and a half from my apartment.

ETA: Never mind, I'm pretty sure that you were being sarcastic. Still, I did feel safer with all the NYPD around.

Subject: brainless AND stupid?

OK so if I read you correctly...crowd control is stupid, but punching strangers to get where you need to go is intelligent.

Go back to school -and this time, stay.

Idlewild wrote: In a related topic. The choke hold is the major reason I don't go to the Parade. The Top Brass at the NYPD for whatever reason believes fitting over a million people in to thinly spaced barricades meant to hold a few thousand is good crowd control. On top of this the make the entrances wide enough for only two or three people at a time. When one feels like their going to have the life squeezed out of them by a surging and sweaty crowd, when one is prevented from climbing underneath the barricade by the cops and feels helpless, that one is going to act in a survival kind of way. I did by punching my way out. Literally. It's a mass tragedy waiting to happen. Incredibly fucking brainless and stupid.

Subject: Re: Stabbing at Washington Ave. and E. Pkwy

joseph11 wrote: Stabbing | Eastern Pkwy & Washington Ave Brooklyn, NY | 9/1/2008 5:03 p.m.

Just took this off of gothamist.com Anybody down at the parade when this happened.

Jeez people, just chill!

Anyway, at precisely 5.03pm I was forced to have a bite of a fried shark sandwich. It was awesome.

hmmmm.....how come there seem to be no reports of this now? in fact gothamist looks to be reporting that there where no acts of violence. check it out:

http://gothamist.com/2008/09/02/west_indian_american_day_parade.php

a quote from the link:

"And, happily, there are so far no reports of violence marring the festivities. (Last year a man was shot twice in the leg, in '06 there was a shooting and stabbing and, in 2005, a man was shot to death.)"

I was on my roof until 5pm-ish and didn't see any sort of police skirmish or EMT action or anything else that would suggest a stabbing on that corner. If anything, I thought yesterday was the most calm parade day I've seen in the nine years I've lived here.

King without a crown wrote: The Police created the problem????? Every year there are numerous incidents at this event, most of which go unreported. With that being said, I think the NYPD did a pretty damn good job controlling a crowd of atleast 3 million people. But I do find it quite strange that you are so anti-Cop, I wonder if you were turned down by the Police department for a job or maybe a Cop banged your girlfriend or something.

Some of the police were fine, and some of the police displayed the kind of attitude of joseph11, assuming all the people they were supposed to be protecting were a "POS." Regardless, the planning at the intersections was poor and created a tense situation that didn't need to exist. Take some constructive criticism, or continue to blame the people at the parade who you clearly look down on so much.

Believe me, I'm way overqualified for the NYPD, and there's no way I'd take the pay cut to have to work with you guys. And the cop with my wife thing... keep dreaming, KWAC.

joseph11 wrote: Maybe the people that attened the parade should learn how to behave in a civilized neighborhood. If everybody wasn't pushing there would be no problem at all. Don't blame the police for doing there job. Ultimatly its the fault of the people that raised these POS's!!! If people were taught how to act like humans we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Oh, so all "the people" at the parade are uncivilized barbarians? How about animals too? "Everybody" was pushing too? And the grand finale, they're all POS!

You, Sir, are an idiot.

When too many people get penned into a small space that cannot hold them for long, some of them will be crushed and have to push back just so they can breath. Naturally, people do not like being pushed, so they may in turn push back, which could quite easily escalate into a stampede if not managed properly by those who are "controlling" the crowd. While this discussion started with a focus on the report of a stabbing at EPWY and NY, it soon focused on the poor crowd control witnessed at that intersection by a few of us first hand. I wouldnt go so far as to say that poor crownd control should be blamed for the stabbing, but I wouls still say it was poor crowd control that had nothing to do with "everyone" being "uncivilized". If you dont like West Indians, just come out and say it, moron.

King without a crown wrote: I wonder if you were turned down by the Police department for a job or maybe a Cop banged your girlfriend or something.

Wow, what an enlightened statement.

Surprisingly enough, I suspect that you may find large segments of the population that are not only uninterested in working for the Police department, but also uninterested in working for the government at all.

Lol. What is it with some of the cops out here? I swear it is the strangest thing I've ever seen, and completely absent in the midwest, southwest, northwest, or on the west coast. I haven't spent enough time in the south to really comment about there, but I doubt it exists there either.

Anyhow, way to garner some goodwill for your profession there. I guess all the stereotypes are wrong after all!

Guvna wrote: [quote=joseph11]Maybe the people that attened the parade should learn how to behave in a civilized neighborhood. If everybody wasn't pushing there would be no problem at all. Don't blame the police for doing there job. Ultimatly its the fault of the people that raised these POS's!!! If people were taught how to act like humans we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Oh, so all "the people" at the parade are uncivilized barbarians? How about animals too? "Everybody" was pushing too? And the grand finale, they're all POS!

You, Sir, are an idiot.

When too many people get penned into a small space that cannot hold them for long, some of them will be crushed and have to push back just so they can breath. Naturally, people do not like being pushed, so they may in turn push back, which could quite easily escalate into a stampede if not managed properly by those who are "controlling" the crowd. While this discussion started with a focus on the report of a stabbing at EPWY and NY, it soon focused on the poor crowd control witnessed at that intersection by a few of us first hand. I wouldnt go so far as to say that poor crownd control should be blamed for the stabbing, but I wouls still say it was poor crowd control that had nothing to do with "everyone" being "uncivilized". If you dont like West Indians, just come out and say it, moron.

Agreed. No one is acting uncivilized. In fact it's hard to act as anything when you have no elbow room. People are penned in between the barriers, it's like you're being squeezed to death. Personally, and I'm being an armchair general, I'd only have barriers on the curb to prevent people from straying in front of the floats. From the curb on back I'd leave it free.