Cafe D'Mongo's Owner Attacked by Vandals

[Shollin]

It seems to me neighborhood watches and security patrols would be a better alternative than vigilante justice. I used to volunteer for the angels night patrols in Detroit. I don't know how you expected a 60 year old to beat down two 20 year olds. Apparently he couldn't since they ended up beating him. Simply put police have to do their job. If the one comment was accurate, police were there right away. If he would've called police first, they would've been there and caught the criminals. Instead he approached the criminals, got jumped, and called police after they were gone.

[Johnnny5]

of all the things to take a stand on in the city vandalism is pretty low on the totem pole. Defacing places of worship is pretty tasteless, i'm not even religious. Its just tacky. Tagging open business is wrong too.

It's interesting how you don't seem to see anything seriously wrong with what these scumbags did. Instead you use words like "Open" "tasteless" and "painted". So how many building have you "painted"?

Whether or not the building is occupied, vacant or abandoned unless these idiots have permission to be "painting" they are nothing but low life vandals. They are selfishly destroying property that does not belong to them. Yeah, sometimes it can be repaired, but so can the works of an arsonist. The problem is this childish hobby costs honest, hard working people money.

We don't murder vandals though.

Maybe not, but I don't cry when someone else does.

[jt1]

I think we can all agree that if DPD did their job [[as a department, not an individual officer level) there would be less need to get involved.

I also agree that neighborhood watches are good contingent on them getting support from DPD otherwise they are just glorified mall cops

[Drexciya68]

As mentioned above, I'm not so sure that is true. There are comments in the Detroit News article from someone that claims to be a DPD officer that did respond [[He claims within 3 minutes of the call).

Either there is some type of misunderstanding or someone is not being 100% honest [[Officer?, Reporter? Mongo?).

I saw Larry on the news describing what happened and he really looked and sounded confused? I also read that there were several officers who responded within a few mins.

[rex]

OK, shooting them is over the top.

2 steps forward

Would I shed a tear is gasm or elmer ended up hospitalized because they tagged the wrong person's home or business? Nope, I would be very happy that it happened to them.

1 step back. Very happy to see some people hospitalized???? thats great jt1

[rex]

It's interesting how you don't seem to see anything seriously wrong with what these scumbags did. Instead you use words like "Open" "tasteless" and "painted". So how many building have you "painted"?

Threads not about me. I haven't assaulted anyone or painted any synagogues. Thx for askin. Im just an area resident with an opinion. Pretty sure I denounced what they did on several occasions. Did you read my posts???

[wolverine]

I think what's sad [[beyond poor police response) is a non-existent graffiti clean-up service in Detroit. Regardless if its on public or private property, it's a public nuisance that should be laser removed on the city's dime. I cant imagine using my own money to clean it up. Unfortunately, this isn't on the budget priority list. You think there's any surveillance cameras in the area to ID them?

[subsidized]

I'm not condoning graffiti, but hasn't the city kind of brought the graffiti problem on themselves? When you recruit people to do "legal graffiti" in the Dequindre Cut and turn a blind eye to the Grand River Creative Corridor, you send out a message that graffiti is welcomed in the city. That being said, where's the outrage against all the illegal scrapping in the city? Scrapping does far more damage than spray paint If I was planning on buying a building I'd certainly rather buy one covered in paint than buy one where every piece of metal has been ripped out. Someone on this site witnessed it and simply took a picture and posted it here for us to talk about. I didn't see anybody talking about shooting the scrappers then. In fact it was brushed off as business as usual in the city.

[subsidized]

From Curbed

Should they come back, Larry intends on shooting them, probably with his nine millimeter. "I will use deadly force,' says Larry. "Then when one, four, or five of these suburban kids is dead, everybody's gonna get upset — aren't they?" That's probably a solid bet, Larry.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...-next-time.php

[noise]

Threads not about me. I haven't assaulted anyone or painted any synagogues. Thx for askin. Im just an area resident with an opinion. Pretty sure I denounced what they did on several occasions. Did you read my posts???

Yes, you did denounce the taggers. You also, unjustly, placed some blame for the situation on Larry Mongo. That's the problem.

If you're in your apartment and hear some suspicious noise on your roof, it's not unheard of to look into it. That does not mean you did something wrong.

You're taking an unbelievably stupid stance on this one.

[rex]

certainly entitled to your opinion. Put himself in a bad situation, got a scratch on his arm and now hes talking about killing people. Probably lucky he didn't actually get hurt. Read for yourself. Sounds like an old racist and a lunatic. Needs a mental health evaluation.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/socie...-assaulted-him

[Honky Tonk]

certainly entitled to your opinion. Put himself in a bad situation, got a scratch on his arm and now hes talking about killing people. Probably lucky he didn't actually get hurt. Read for yourself. Sounds like an old racist and a lunatic. Needs a mental health evaluation.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/socie...-assaulted-him

The buildings in the video clip look like crap. If he plugs one of these a-ho's, so be it.

[Shollin]

I've been thinking about these vigilante neighbors. When I went on vacation I was concerned my house would be burglarized so I had my sister go over periodically to make it looked lived in. What if one of my A-Team neighbors mistakenly took her for a burglar? They would've shot her dead.

[Johnnny5]

I've been thinking about these vigilante neighbors. When I went on vacation I was concerned my house would be burglarized so I had my sister go over periodically to make it looked lived in. What if one of my A-Team neighbors mistakenly took her for a burglar? They would've shot her dead.

Does she spray paint a bunch of crap on the side of your house while you are out of town? If not, I think there's little risk.

I think Mr. Mongo is angry [[As he should be) and just blowing smoke about shooting these guys. Just the act of throwing that option out there is probably going to be good deterrent to these scumbags from returning.

[poobert]

certainly entitled to your opinion. Put himself in a bad situation, got a scratch on his arm and now hes talking about killing people. Probably lucky he didn't actually get hurt. Read for yourself. Sounds like an old racist and a lunatic. Needs a mental health evaluation.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/socie...-assaulted-him

No, you sound like the lunatic sir. You are constantly downplaying this vandalism and blaming Mr. Mongo. Now he's insane and a racist? All he got was a scratch? I hope if someone younger and stronger than you assaults you for being a jackass, everyone on here dismisses it as "just a scratch"

Vandalism is not, or should not, be a low priority. Ever hear of the broken windows theory? I didn't think so. Graffiti and vandalism make an area look like it is not cared for and opens the door to more violent crime.

That synagogue was at death's door a couple years ago and is finally rising from the ashes. Back then Mr. Mongo would attend Shabbat just so they would have enough people to celebrate it. But, hey, it's just a crazy old racist and it's just a bit of grafitti. They should just get over it. Maybe they should both just give up and move to the suburbs so your friends can have their way with some more ruins.

Go tell Ms. Kohn how easy it is to get graffiti off - since you're the expert. Go tell her she should "keep a bucket of paint handy". Tell her it's the cost of keeping their synagogue doors open in the city. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[noise]

certainly entitled to your opinion. Put himself in a bad situation, got a scratch on his arm and now hes talking about killing people. Probably lucky he didn't actually get hurt. Read for yourself. Sounds like an old racist and a lunatic. Needs a mental health evaluation.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/socie...-assaulted-him

This argument is no different than claiming a woman's choice of clothes is the reason she was sexually assaulted. It's horrible, it's offensive, and it's downright wrong. It's not an opinion. It's a fact.

Do you really think being angry, and saying something out of anger, after being beaten constitutes the need for a mental health eval? Really?

[laphoque]

It's one thing to clean up graffiti or pick up trash. Those are positive actions that beautify the community. It's another thing to advocate violence against those who are responsible for those actions. They deserve a ticket, not violent retribution. And if anyone does act out violently they may just find themselves in more trouble than the people they were acting against. And justly so.

I don't want to see anymore vigilante truck draggings in the news.

[Drexciya68]

certainly entitled to your opinion. Put himself in a bad situation, got a scratch on his arm and now hes talking about killing people. Probably lucky he didn't actually get hurt. Read for yourself. Sounds like an old racist and a lunatic. Needs a mental health evaluation.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/socie...-assaulted-him

When they interviewed him on tv he seemed confused and not sure what had happened. I dont care for those assholes painting all over town but Larrys account of what happened seems shakey at best. I dont trust that Mongo or any of his family. He is an old school bigot/racist just like his boy coleman young was.

[noise]

It's one thing to clean up graffiti or pick up trash. Those are positive actions that beautify the community. It's another thing to advocate violence against those who are responsible for those actions. They deserve a ticket, not violent retribution. And if anyone does act out violently they may just find themselves in more trouble than the people they were acting against. And justly so.

I don't want to see anymore vigilante truck draggings in the news.

And when he acts out violently or incites violence, you may have an argument. Until then, realize it's human nature to be angry after being beaten.

[Honky Tonk]

It's one thing to clean up graffiti or pick up trash. Those are positive actions that beautify the community. It's another thing to advocate violence against those who are responsible for those actions. They deserve a ticket, not violent retribution. And if anyone does act out violently they may just find themselves in more trouble than the people they were acting against. And justly so.

I don't want to see anymore vigilante truck draggings in the news.

Clowns climb up on someones roof with the intent of vandalism and defacing private property, and you compare this to some random act of violence? What about the violence perpetrated against the property owner? You think people should take these POS's out for a latte and give them a good stern talking to? After you clean the poop out of your pants, be + and my hero, start cleaning up the graffiti and become the community leader you're encouraging. You can start in my neighborhood. There's plenty of this crap to go around. Owners clean up this crap, and all it does is gives the "arteests" a new canvas. You're lecturing to the wrong side of the fence, my friend.

[erikd]

No, you sound like the lunatic sir. You are constantly downplaying this vandalism and blaming Mr. Mongo. Now he's insane and a racist? All he got was a scratch? I hope if someone younger and stronger than you assaults you for being a jackass, everyone on here dismisses it as "just a scratch"

Vandalism is not, or should not, be a low priority. Ever hear of the broken windows theory? I didn't think so. Graffiti and vandalism make an area look like it is not cared for and opens the door to more violent crime.

That synagogue was at death's door a couple years ago and is finally rising from the ashes. Back then Mr. Mongo would attend Shabbat just so they would have enough people to celebrate it. But, hey, it's just a crazy old racist and it's just a bit of grafitti. They should just get over it. Maybe they should both just give up and move to the suburbs so your friends can have their way with some more ruins.

Go tell Ms. Kohn how easy it is to get graffiti off - since you're the expert. Go tell her she should "keep a bucket of paint handy". Tell her it's the cost of keeping their synagogue doors open in the city. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Exactly! Great post!

I can't believe that some people will excuse criminal behavior as long as it occurs in the city. If these kids were vandalizing buildings in their own neighborhoods, everybody would be up in arms about it, but if they come downtown to vandalize buildings, then blame the victims.

[KJ5]

Mongo ought to have waited in secret and let them get far enough into their painting for the tags to be discernible. Then there would be something more than trespassing to prosecute them for, and if they weren't caught on the spot it would be easier to headhunt them. And perhaps he could have grabbed a weapon and reinforcements. Graffiti is a cat and mouse game. But what's done is done.
Don't know why taggers don't give that synagogue the same respect that Christian churches get. The church on Alexandrine just west of Woodward is the only church in town - beyond long abandoned ones - that I can think of that's I've ever seen defaced by graffiti. Places of worship and open businesses go against a code of conduct more ethical practitioners follow. But they're all just animals to the curmudgeons of DetroitYes, so go ahead, rant away. I'm sure not sticking up for these fools.

[rex]

a few of you really should hook up with mongo and start a club, build a treehouse, get segways, dress up like cowboys and patrol the city for vandals. Flashlights, walkie talkies, maybe some whistles.

Got poobert noticeably upset for no apparent reason. Really not here trying to instigate anything or antagonize anybody. You want to help him out player? Go drop off a tube of A&D ointment, a box of tissue, and a 3$ gallon of mis-tint. I actually feel bad for the lady in the video, she seems nice enough, mongo came off sounding dramatic, prejudicial and crazy. Downtown needs neighborhood watch, plain and simple. Mongos lucky, could have been injured. A sixty something interrupts 20 somethings breaking the law and tries to stop em??? How could that ever go anything but wrong? Think they're going to say? "Aw shucks, you got me. Guess I'll just sit here and wait for the police...." right. Plenty of police downtown, should have called them instead, thats what they're paid for. Nobody should have painted on that building. Was a lousy thing to do. We cant go around shooting people for property crimes. To even suggest it is crazy. You're not going to convince me otherwise.

[Det_ard]

We cant go around shooting people for property crimes. To even suggest it is crazy. You're not going to convince me otherwise.

On the other hand, some folks are fed up enough that they will resort to physical violence in response to property crimes, particularly when the police are not up to handling it. The taggers ought to know that. Getting caught tagging anything may result in a beatdown or being shot. So taggers are literally risking their lives.

Maybe someone who beats or shoots a tagger will be arrested and tried. That's a risk too. While I can't say I'm OK with giving property defenders carte blanche to do as they please to taggers or other vandals, I'd have a hard time convicting the property owner of a serious crime if I were on the jury. Think jury nullification.

A few accidental tagger deaths like these won't bring a tear to too many eyes either. Sorry if it sounds harsh but social parasites haven't earned much sympathy.

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...1#.UXq4T0r0eaU

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.1305457

http://gothamist.com/2011/05/16/graf...by_d_train.php

[Honky Tonk]

Maybe someone who beats or shoots a tagger will be arrested and tried.

Put a bounty on 'em and raise some revenue!