Groups plan Belle Isle rally to protest 'aggressive treatment of citizens'

**Bluenote132003** · May-09-14, 11:01 AM

From today's Freep:

They're protesting getting pulled over while breaking the law? Folks are mad because people with warrants are getting taken to jail? Another article:
http://www.freep.com/article/2014042...a-jones-police

Are the cops just supposed to ignore illegal behavior? What is Brenda Jones after? That a council person should protest enforcing the law anywhere in Detroit is just mindblowing...

**jt1** · May-09-14, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Bluenote132003

From today's Freep:

They're protesting getting pulled over while breaking the law? Folks are mad because people with warrants are getting taken to jail? Another article:
http://www.freep.com/article/2014042...a-jones-police

Are the cops just supposed to ignore illegal behavior? What is Brenda Jones after? That a council person should protest enforcing the law anywhere in Detroit is just mindblowing...

Perhaps they could adopt another park instead of this worthless protest. Too much protesting, not enough doing.

**drjeff** · May-09-14, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Bluenote132003

From today's Freep:

They're protesting getting pulled over while breaking the law? Folks are mad because people with warrants are getting taken to jail? Another article:
http://www.freep.com/article/2014042...a-jones-police

Are the cops just supposed to ignore illegal behavior? What is Brenda Jones after? That a council person should protest enforcing the law anywhere in Detroit is just mindblowing...

It's good old fashioned playing of the race card.

**motz** · May-09-14, 11:33 AM

I mean, I guess it is really weird when they are enforcing laws in Detroit, but isn't this what Brenda Jones et all have been asking for? Increased public safety? I just absolutely do not understand why some people think Belle Isle should be their personal unrestricted playground.

**Cliffy** · May-10-14, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by motz

I mean, I guess it is really weird when they are enforcing laws in Detroit, but isn't this what Brenda Jones et all have been asking for? Increased public safety? I just absolutely do not understand why some people think Belle Isle should be their personal unrestricted playground.

No, she is trying to get reelected so she is playing the race card. White state police officers are pulling over black Detroiters at the park they stole from us and are sending a message we don't want blacks on the island. Yet, a lot of the people pulled over and arrested have multiple warrants. It seems that Detroit is a lost cause. No matter what you do, you're the problem. All Brenda Jones wants is wads of money. Unfortunately, the people with the wads of money wants to make sure its spent properly.

**Dan Wesson** · May-09-14, 12:20 PM

Hey hey hey! Wait a darn minute. They maybe criminals but they're our criminals!

**Wesley Mouch** · May-09-14, 05:02 PM

What is it that is being 'aggressive'? Is the the type of infractions being policed, or is it the way they are being policed? Wait, I'm listening to fools who are complaining about someone making Detroit better? What was I thinking?

**unclefrank** · May-09-14, 05:30 PM

As we all know, the cops can be needlessly agressive at times. As long as they are keeping the peace they have my support.

**Scottathew** · May-09-14, 05:37 PM

This is just sad. Detroit needs MORE law enforcement, not less.

They're trying to attach a word like "aggressive" to conjure up thoughts of racially motivated police brutality. However, the reality is that none of that has happened.

Don't want to go to jail? Take care of your warrants and stop breaking the law.

**Detroitnerd** · May-09-14, 05:42 PM

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread. --Anatole France

**aj3647** · May-09-14, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread. --Anatole France

Poor black men like Mike Duggan can't get a fair shake from police on Belle Isle!

**Danny** · May-09-14, 06:49 PM

Protesting about the problems at Belle Isle by state takeover will not solve anything. It's a 'Mich 'ississippi' State Park with very strict policies and policing. It's to keep the riff-raff down and the DEAD [[C) KRAK HEADS out. It least Belle Isle is back to its glorious splendor.

**sumas** · May-09-14, 07:40 PM

Very articulate post eastside al.

**townonenorth** · May-09-14, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread. --Anatole France

Not really true. The Supreme Court has upheld the right of people to beg in the streets.

**EastsideAl** · May-09-14, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by Bluenote132003

http://www.freep.com/article/2014042...a-jones-police

This is actually a pretty good article, and one that sums up the viewpoints of both sides relatively well.

This has been coming for months. Not to support someone like Brenda Jones, because I don't, but this protest is an inevitable result of the sensitivity arising from Lansing's takeover of Belle Isle, and the fact that those feelings been recently highly exacerbated by the heavy-handed enforcement tactics of the State Police and the DNR.

If you don't understand why this is a racially sensitive issue then you haven't been paying attention to what's been going on here for the past couple of years [[to say nothing of the rest of Detroit, Michigan, and U.S. history). There is already great resentment around here over being charged by people from elsewhere to use a park that we have been paying for ourselves [[without even any little help from Lansing) and using freely for over 140 years. As for the "race card" [[what a stupid term that is), well, from where I stand Snyder & Co. have already played that pretty heavily.

We will be lucky if the fallout only results in this piddly little protest by a professional noisemaker that will likely amount to almost nothing. I think most people in the city, including most politicians, are taking a "wait and see" attitude right now, as they are with all else that's going on between Detroit and Lansing. But the talk and spirit behind this protest do represent some widely-held emotions and apprehensions that are all too real.

All it will take is one slightly Rodney King-like moment with the state's enforcers and the whole thing could get really ugly really quickly. I hope with all my heart that we can avoid that, but from their actions it seems that the State Police and the folks in Lansing are oblivious to the feelings and potential problems involved here.

**erikd** · May-09-14, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

This is actually a pretty good article, and one that sums up the viewpoints of both sides relatively well.

This has been coming for months. Not to support someone like Brenda Jones, because I don't, but this protest is an inevitable result of the sensitivity arising from Lansing's takeover of Belle Isle, and the fact that those feelings been recently highly exacerbated by the heavy-handed enforcement tactics of the State Police and the DNR.

What heavy-handed enforcement tactics?

The state police and DNR officers are mostly issuing warnings, not engaging in heavy-handed enforcement tactics.

Most people, including myself, Mayor Duggan, City Clerk Winfrey, and tens of thousands of other regular visitors, drive way too fast on Belle Isle. The wide open stretches of road on Belle Isle make it very easy to go 35-40 mph without realizing how fast you are driving. However, there are walking and biking paths right along side of the traffic lanes, and we should not be driving that fast in the park.

If the state officers were handing out speeding tickets left and right, then there might be some validity to this complaint. However, that doesn't seem to be what is happening. The park officers are mostly pulling people over and reminding them that they should not be driving so fast, or informing them about other park rules that they may not be aware of.

There was a poster on a recent thread about this very subject who said that a DNR officer stopped them about feeding the geese, which is a valid concern, but not something that I realized was an issue until it was explained.

Are these examples of heavy handed law enforcement techniques? If the officers are mostly pulling people over and simply explaining the laws, then letting people off with a warning, I certainly don't think so...

**RapBrown** · May-09-14, 06:12 PM

Nice post Al, how dare you not fall in line with the other Nazi's. Democracy be damned!

**Honky Tonk** · May-11-14, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by RapBrown

Nice post Al, how dare you not fall in line with the other Nazi's. Democracy be damned!

I really like and totally agree with your "Nazi" analogy. Detroit has been under "Nazi" siege for the last 50 some years. Personal property has been confiscated, City culture destroyed, City architecture left in ruins, City coiffures pillaged, senseless murders occurring in broad daylight on the streets, leaving Detroit resembling war torn Poland or France. Lately, an attempt is being made by the "Nazi's" to loot the City's art. Those, with the means, escaped, by crossing the borders, some stayed, carrying on the resistance. I for one welcome the Allied Forces. Hopefully, they'll be able to the turn tide against the "Nazi" regime.

**313WX** · May-11-14, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I really like and totally agree with your "Nazi" analogy. Detroit has been under "Nazi" siege for the last 50 some years...City culture destroyed, City architecture left in ruins, City coiffures pillaged, senseless murders occurring in broad daylight on the streets, leaving Detroit resembling war torn Poland or France.

Well what else would happen when 1.2 Million People just up and decide to leave town and leave behind a disproportionally high amount of poor/undereducated people?

I'm pretty sure things would be a whole lot different if majority of those 1.2 Million People never left. See NYC, Chicago, Philadelphia, etc.

**Honky Tonk** · May-11-14, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Well what else would happen when 1.2 Million People just up and decide to leave town and leave behind a disproportionally high amount of poor/undereducated people?

I'm pretty sure things would be a whole lot different if majority of those 1.2 Million People never left. See NYC, Chicago, Philadelphia, etc.

Oh, and why did they leave?

**313WX** · May-11-14, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Oh, and why did they leave?

Cause vs. effect.

What you described is the effects from them taking their money and leaving [[before it became the negative feedback loop of poor city services and crime we have now, the reasons were for bigger homes in the suburbs and racism), while strategically steering away any future investment from Detroit.

**EastsideAl** · May-11-14, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I really like and totally agree with your "Nazi" analogy. Detroit has been under "Nazi" siege for the last 50 some years. Personal property has been confiscated, City culture destroyed, City architecture left in ruins, City coiffures pillaged, senseless murders occurring in broad daylight on the streets, leaving Detroit resembling war torn Poland or France. Lately, an attempt is being made by the "Nazi's" to loot the City's art. Those, with the means, escaped, by crossing the borders, some stayed, carrying on the resistance. I for one welcome the Allied Forces. Hopefully, they'll be able to the turn tide against the "Nazi" regime.

You really go way too far sometimes.

**Honky Tonk** · May-11-14, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

You really go way too far sometimes.

Am I making this stuff up? I'm sure to someone, like yourself, who's so outraged on paying $11 a year for island access, it would appear so.

**EastsideAl** · May-12-14, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Am I making this stuff up? I'm sure to someone, like yourself, who's so outraged on paying $11 a year for island access, it would appear so.

You ignore far far too many intervening factors to mention in your rush to characterize our fellow city citizens as "nazis".

**sumas** · May-09-14, 07:30 PM

A friend and I were driving East on Jefferson when two Motorcycle police passed. passing from all different directions came 2 state police cars, then two border patrol then two DPD cars. No clue the problem. That was Thursday.

Personally, I am happy to see the transfer but trust me I would be booed at our street Association. Like 20 to 35 people that attend think the state stole it from the city. Heavy handed police work isn't politic or smart. Certainly, enforce ordinances but with kid gloves.