Cafe D'Mongo's Owner Attacked by Vandals

**Johnnny5** · April-24-13, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

I think the silence is pretty telling. Also the clueless dude from Livonia who is just shocked that white kids are tagging buildings in Detroit in the evening.

Silence? There were actually two threads posted on this subject here, so it's not exactly being ignored. Honestly, the only reason this is getting any local media publicity is because of the notoriety of the victim. I hope they catch these idiots, but in a city that averages a murder a day a thwarted act of vandalism and a guy getting thrown to the ground isn't exactly headline news.

**Gistok** · April-24-13, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

Silence? There were actually two threads posted on this subject here, so it's not exactly being ignored. Honestly, the only reason this is getting any local media publicity is because of the notoriety of the victim. I hope they catch these idiots, but in a city that averages a murder a day a thwarted act of vandalism and a guy getting thrown to the ground isn't exactly headline news.

Johnny5, I think Poobert is talking about the "pro tagging" crowd that often post here with the mantra that it's "an art form"... when it's really a criminal act...

**laphoque** · April-24-13, 01:21 PM

The police did show up about 15 minutes after Larry left.

Damn kids need to keep it in the Packard. Also, no fighting.

**compn** · April-24-13, 01:37 PM

just surprised 20 year olds were out tagging in daytime, in busy downtown detroit, on a monday. and that they got away on bmx bikes.

i'm trying to figure out what kind of person a tagger is. what kind of life a tagger has. what kind of job they have so they can spend that much money on paint. what kind of ride they have. are they neo nazis going to paint swasticas on jewish buildings? are they possible-racists going to paint the joe louis arm statue white? are they gang members marking their turf?

i would think twice about cornering someone committing a crime [[if i was 60 years old). if you stand between them and an exit, its like cornering a wild animal. they could bite/scratch you as they try to run away.

**poobert** · April-24-13, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by compn

i'm trying to figure out what kind of person a tagger is. what kind of life a tagger has. what kind of job they have so they can spend that much money on paint. what kind of ride they have. are they neo nazis going to paint swasticas on jewish buildings? are they possible-racists going to paint the joe louis arm statue white? are they gang members marking their turf?

They could be any of those things, certainly. However, I knew a few very closely, and in each case they were disaffected young people from the suburbs who dropped out of college and bounced around crappy part-time jobs. They did the tagging thing for the thrill and under the guise of some sort of artistry. I dated one, she was pretty as hell but dumb as a box of rocks. I guess when you're an idiot with too much time on your hands this is what you do, and sometimes you get caught in the act.

**rex** · April-24-13, 02:53 PM

my guess. These 2 were trying to paint the spot and got interrupted. Cafe owner grabbed at em on impulse and got shoved to the ground. Frustrated he tried to blow the situation up so police would take it seriously, got the media involved.
They shouldn't have been attempting to deface the synagogue.
I expect ::Vandals Attacked by Cafe Owner:: is probably more accurate.

**jt1** · April-24-13, 02:58 PM

I prefer ::Cowardly little graffiti punks attack an old man when he asks that they quit defacing a building

Sorry, but there is no way anyone that can defend them and actually accuse D'Mongo of wrong doing. Unless of course your a graffiti unk or friends with these complete pieces of garbage.

**rex** · April-24-13, 03:10 PM

no need to apologize. So you're suggesting its a good idea for an older fellow to try and stop minor crimes being committed by 2 younger people? what? make citizens arrests on vandals? I wasn't there, no idea how it happened but hes probably lucky. He may have made a poor decision and should have called police instead. Maybe took pictures with his phone from a distance. These vandals were probably just trying to get away. Good job at taking me out of context too BTW. I was trying to be objective.

**jt1** · April-24-13, 03:11 PM

Faulting the owner and going so far as to imply that he assaulted the criminals is objective? I'd hate to see when you are being biased.

**rex** · April-24-13, 03:19 PM

So he own the synagogue too? In case you missed it:
"They shouldn't have been attempting to deface the synagogue."
right there in my first post.
Faulting the owner? More like suggesting he made a bad judgement call. He isnt the police.

**jt1** · April-24-13, 03:22 PM

So, give DPD's track record you are essentially saying that properly crime in the city should be fair game? If the police can't make it and it's not your property then just look the other way. That's a great way to look out for your community.

Blaming him at all for trying to stop a crime is just ridiculous. I'd prefer that he had a gun and shot them but hopefully security take of these idiots will come out and 'not the police' get a chance to beat the crap out of them.

**rex** · April-24-13, 03:34 PM

So your advocating shooting people for property crimes? Nice. I dont think he should have confronted 2 younger men. Not blaming anyone, I think it was a bad idea, what possible positive outcome could he have expected? Detaining both until the police arrived? Hes in no position to even do that. Even had the police caught them its a misdemeanor. You really think they would have gone to jail? Probably 6 months probation and fines. If that

**jt1** · April-24-13, 03:37 PM

Yes, I am advocating a couple of taggers getting shot so it will send a message to the entire shit bag tagging community. I understand you think it is a bad idea. You are advocating that people just sit around and watch their community be destroyed.

Beyond that, you are advocating people letting others ruin their community because the sentence would be nominal.

You have made it clear where you stand that [[a) people should ignore property crime, and if the police can't get there then ignore it and [[b) that unless a crime results in a strong sentence then it should be ignored.

I'm glad you're not my neighbor. I certainly wouldn't want you keeping an eye on my place while I am out of town.

**rex** · April-24-13, 03:51 PM

Pretty big difference between destroyed and defaced. Maybe keep a bucket of paint around. Its an unfortunate part of doing business in the city.

Ignore property crime? No. If someone is vandalizing a church or a business the police should be called. Most graffiti vandals would agree this is unacceptable medium. IDK Maybe snap some flix with a phone or get a license plate #. Even police cant shoot vandals. In the interest of self preservation citizens shouldnt take the law into their own hands. Maybe he was attacked. I just think it unlikely.
We agree on one thing. "I'm glad you're not my neighbor." might shoot me trying to break into my own house

**poobert** · April-24-13, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by rex

Pretty big difference between destroyed and defaced. Maybe keep a bucket of paint around. Its an unfortunate part of doing business in the city.

Ignore property crime? No. If someone is vandalizing a church or a business the police should be called. Most graffiti vandals would agree this is unacceptable medium. IDK Maybe snap some flix with a phone or get a license plate #. Even police cant shoot vandals. In the interest of self preservation citizens should take the law into their own hands. Maybe he was attacked. I just think it unlikely.
We agree on one thing. "I'm glad you're not my neighbor."

I'm glad you're not my neighbor, too. You sound like you suck, big time.

Yeah you can rest easy in Farmington Hills but I still believe we who are sticking it out in the city deserve a quality of life, too. So I'm going to absolutely ruin your friends' shit if they try to mess with what I've worked my whole life to build, just like that ballsy old man. Spread the word.

**jt1** · April-24-13, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by rex

Pretty big difference between destroyed and defaced. Maybe keep a bucket of paint around. Its an unfortunate part of doing business in the city.

So, as opposed to trying to stop it in your community it is just something that should be accepted. That is absolutely absurd logic.

Ignore property crime? No. If someone is vandalizing a church or a business the police should be called. Most graffiti vandals would agree this is unacceptable medium. IDK Maybe snap some flix with a phone or get a license plate #. Even police cant shoot vandals. In the interest of self preservation citizens should take the law into their own hands. Maybe he was attacked. I just think it unlikely.

So police should be called in a city where response time is horrific. In essence you are advocating that people should have free reign since they know police will likely not respond to something like this. In a city that has a horrendous track record of following up on murders do you think they'd follow up on a license plate. Surely you can't be that naive.

We agree on one thing. "I'm glad you're not my neighbor.

Aw, that saddens me.

Shollin · April-24-13, 03:57 PM

When I saw someone prowling around and trying to enter my neighbor's house I called the police. I thought I was being a good neighbor. I guess not.

**rex** · April-24-13, 04:07 PM

thought police did show up downtown.
Im the illogical one? you're basically saying its ok to murder people for defacing walls. Thats not illogical, thats psychopathological. I never said people should have free reign to paint where ever they want. I suggested Mongo was lucky to not have been hurt worse and made a bad judgement call. Downtown Detroit isn't the wild west. This is not a vigilante justice zone.

"Aw, that saddens me."
... Ok fine. so long as you dont shoot me.

**rex** · April-24-13, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Shollin

When I saw someone prowling around and trying to enter my neighbor's house I called the police. I thought I was being a good neighbor. I guess not.

You would have gone out and citizens arrested or shot them. This the D baby. Why bother calling the police. They wont show up... right?...... right?????

Shollin · April-24-13, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by rex

You would have gone out and citizens arrested or shot them. This the D baby. Why bother calling the police. They wont show up... right?...... right?????

To be fair this was Harper Woods so I knew the police would show up. Even if it was Detroit I'm not going to approach criminals. I have no way of telling if they are unarmed. Besides, do you really think these degenerates would just stop because you tell them to? Shooting at them would cause a lot of problems for you if they were unarmed. That's a legal can of worms I don't want to open.

**jt1** · April-24-13, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by rex

You would have gone out and citizens arrested or shot them. This the D baby. Why bother calling the police. They wont show up... right?...... right?????

You do understand the irony that you are responding to someone that left the city because of crime and QOL issues. I hope you see the irony in your response. The sad reality is that due to poor service from DPD people have an two options [[1) be the eyes and ears and try to improve the QOL of their neighborhood or [[2) leave.

Shollin chose [[2). That is his decision and was made in his best interest but reality is that tons of people are choosing option [[2) with poor response from DPD as one of the primary reason. the other reason is property crime.

Larry was trying to improve his community and chase of shitbags involved in property crime. Shame on him. He should just move out like you and Shollin.

**rex** · April-24-13, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by Shollin

To be fair this was Harper Woods so I knew the police would show up. Even if it was Detroit I'm not going to approach criminals. I have no way of telling if they are unarmed. Besides, do you really think these degenerates would just stop because you tell them to? Shooting at them would cause a lot of problems for you if they were unarmed. That's a legal can of worms I don't want to open.

I was being facetious. Beyond criminal trouble you would probably be sued to the moon. You cant take the law into your own hands.

**jt1** · April-24-13, 04:21 PM

To revise my statement above, Shollin was correct in calling the police since he was in a community that would likely show up. Detroit doesn't have that luxury

**rex** · April-24-13, 04:28 PM

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. We don't murder vandals though.

**jt1** · April-24-13, 04:33 PM

OK, shooting them is over the top. Beating the crap out of them is fine by me. It isn't this one instance, it is the sheer number of dollars and time it costs to paint over or fix this crap. It is the additional cost incurred in a rehab project because the exterior has to be cleaned. It is the fact that there is no justifiable reason to do it. It is the fact that it impacts QOL in a city where QOL is already substandard. It is the fact that people justify that it isn't a big deal but would never allow or justify it happening in their community.

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.