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Mob Violence Stains Juneteenth Celebration

WEDNESDAY JUNE 20 2007 5:00 PM

Submitted by Aaron_Lariviere. Edited By erin_broadley.

TAGS: Crowd, violence, attack, emancipation day

I find large crowds unsettling. In every gathering of a certain size, there’s a hidden potential lurking beneath the surface; it can manifest into laughter, sorrow, outrage, physical destruction, or... nothing at all. But when something does happen, our collective actions seem to distill into sweeping gestures, granting them far more weight and power than the sum of their parts. The 1992 L.A. riots were a particularly nasty example:

The very idea that a group of free-thinking individuals can somehow tap into a collectively unintelligent subconscious is terrifying, especially if you find yourself on the receiving end of a crowd’s rage. The AP reports that just last night in Austin, Texas a crowd lashed out:

A crowd attacked and killed a passenger in a vehicle that had struck and injured a child, police said Wednesday.

Police believe 2,000 to 3,000 people were in the area for a Juneteenth celebration when the attack occurred Tuesday night. The man who was killed had been trying to stop the group from attacking the vehicle's driver when the crowd turned on him, authorities said.

An accident happens; the fun-loving crowd transforms into a feral, bloodthirsty mob. I’m sure alcohol played a part, though details of the altercation are scarce. I wonder if race was a factor? Apparently the driver was able to escape the crowd and has been cooperating with police. The child seems to be ok too, as authorities reported the kid was taken to the hospital with “non-life threatening injuries.”

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is the celebration of the day news of the Emancipation Proclamation arrived in Texas, effectively abolishing slavery in the state. It’s a shame to see the festivities tainted by bloodshed, but at the end of the day, as they say, the mob rules.

34 Comments

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aldoushuxley

Little River Academy, TX

November 2005

JUN 20, 2007 05:19 PM

Oh Jesus that is so sick and ironic, I could not help laughing at the this disturbing event.

Tiger_Fodder

Marshfield, MA

June 2007

JUN 20, 2007 06:03 PM

aldoushuxley said:
Oh Jesus that is so sick and ironic, I could not help laughing at the this disturbing event.

Laugh?

MaxSterling

Milwaukee, WI

February 2006

JUN 20, 2007 06:21 PM

The exact same sort of violence and rioting happened in my town! I live in Milwaukee Wisconsin. I was shocked and disapointed to hear about this behavior in my home town.

theconservative

Antarctica

October 2004

JUN 20, 2007 06:59 PM

way to stay pc, aaron.

Jon_Kirk

Stillwater, OK

October 2005

JUN 20, 2007 07:27 PM

Hmm

smithers_jones

Los Angeles, CA

November 2003

JUN 20, 2007 07:31 PM

The connection between this and the LA riots of 92 is what exactly?

Westley

Vatican City

April 2004

JUN 20, 2007 07:33 PM

Jon_Kirk said:
Hmm

I think you made a wise edit here.

geasavenger

Milwaukee, WI

May 2005

JUN 20, 2007 07:38 PM

I also live in Milwaukee WI as well, we had violence this year...thankfully after the fest was over. Last year or the one before had a shooting at the end of a huge fight in the middle of the day was no good

Takes away from what was a very positive fest by painting as a "dangerious fest" We had a huge police presence this year during the day at the fest. There was cops in riot gear all over the news tonight.

MrStitches

Sag Harbor, NY

November 2003

JUN 20, 2007 07:39 PM

rossback

Kansas City, MO

April 2007

JUN 20, 2007 08:48 PM

I already think Juneteenth is a lame holiday. This doesn't help.

SignalNoise

Chicago, IL

February 2004

JUN 20, 2007 09:03 PM

the_colours said:
I already think Juneteenth is a lame holiday. This doesn't help.

Totally - people celebrating freedom is *so* 19th century.

SignalNoise

Chicago, IL

February 2004

JUN 20, 2007 09:04 PM

smithers_jones said:
The connection between this and the LA riots of 92 is what exactly?

That's what I wondered: there's a weird fear of collective action in this piece that I just don't get.

Heathen_Dave

Birmingham, AL

July 2005

JUN 20, 2007 09:05 PM

SignalNoise said:

the_colours said:
I already think Juneteenth is a lame holiday. This doesn't help.

Totally - people celebrating freedom is *so* 19th century.

Well Jiminey Crickets, at least call it something that represents what the day's about. "Freedom Day," "Emanciday," something.

It's like calling Labor Day "Early September Mondayday"

dragonflower

Austin, TX

January 2007

JUN 20, 2007 11:41 PM

i live in austin, and i hadn't heard a thing about it. i'm not surprised, just disappointed. there is a disturbing undercurrent of racial tension here, as black suspects keep winding up dead by the hands of white police officers. just as the community was still reeling from the trial of one oficer, another recently shot a man to death, and now this.
*sigh*

SignalNoise

Chicago, IL

February 2004

JUN 21, 2007 05:08 AM

Heathen_Dave said:
Well Jiminey Crickets, at least call it something that represents what the day's about. "Freedom Day," "Emanciday," something.

It's like calling Labor Day "Early September Mondayday"

Yeah, I mean, it's not like that name has any kind of significance at all or anything really.

Jesus, when did the *name* of a holiday become a measure of its legitimacy?

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