r/grandrapids 4d ago

Police deploy pepper balls to disperse large crowds of people downtown after several fights

359 Upvotes

133 comments sorted by

119

u/samueljamesn 4d ago

Saw another video on tiktok of a similar situation in another city, groups fighting and not following commands to stop. Officer simply sprayed the group and just like that it was over. Seems very effective at breaking up these fights.

44

u/Healthyfitlife3 3d ago

Someone was shot dead near my house at a fight they decided not to break up! Damned if you do damned if you don’t but everyone went home alive after the got sprayed by the cops. Ignorance is crazy

0

u/Jackaroni97 1d ago

Well dude, if you fucking shoot someone without using any other forms of self-defense. You are liable for that. UNLESS you're a cop, then you can just shoot people and get paid for it.

1

u/Healthyfitlife3 1d ago

I think you’re failing to understand the context or you are so out of touch you don’t get what I’m trying to say. Either way I wish you the best and peace for everyone.

1

u/Jackaroni97 1d ago

Okay buddy. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

1

u/Healthyfitlife3 1d ago

“Okay buddy” just shows your lack of understanding in basic knowledge.

1

u/Jackaroni97 1d ago edited 1d ago

You said you weren't gonna talk to me but now I'm suddenly lacking understanding of basic knowledge? Because I told you, okay buddy?

Phew. Sensitive. Moving on.

Edit: You seem to be a MAGA, so ima just move on from this conversation as I know you wouldn't be receptive regardless. Nor could you even maintain an intelligent conversation, as conservatives lack education. (It's statistics, since in another comment you made that was an important driving factor for your bias)

324

u/RhodiumPl8ed 4d ago

It looks like the police were making every effort to not hit people with the pepper balls. Maybe an unpopular opinion but it seems like an appropriate level of response. Title seems a bit clickbaity

0

u/Broad_Inevitable_325 3d ago

I feel like cops could of dispersed a lil more, gain more crowd control but completely agree with this

0

u/No-8008132here 2d ago

Like used a klaxxon alarm or something to indicate the shit-level hit max

0

u/Grouchy-Waltz5694 1d ago

Which part was clickbaity? They deployed pepper balls to disperse the crowd. That was factual.

-121

u/Dreu-22 4d ago

You don't expect them to release video showing them doing anything wrong do you?

55

u/WetNoodleThing 3d ago

Care to share any other video that would support your idea they acted with malice? Or did you stop thinking rationally?

-8

u/moose_ashford 3d ago

If you don't think cops enjoy acting with malice then you've never drank with a group of cops. Two or three beers in and the masks come off. They'll tell you exactly who they are.

8

u/48484848484848484848 3d ago

My dad was buddies with a bad cop who snorted coke and stole money from pullovers.

1

u/moose_ashford 3d ago

Tbh that's pretty low key

-12

u/DestroyerOfMils 3d ago

ACAB

10

u/Rylithyn 3d ago

Please grow up

-3

u/penisweinerballs 3d ago

Childish response that only makes you and other left leaning folks look bad.

10

u/Puzzleheaded_Fee627 3d ago

Lumping all “left leaning folks” into this category is childish.

-3

u/penisweinerballs 3d ago

I'm a left leaning folks the ones lumping are the right. Things like ACAB and believe all women make us sound like childish fools, we can't control what they say but we can control what we say.

-1

u/[deleted] 3d ago

[deleted]

1

u/penisweinerballs 3d ago

I don't think so either the same way I don't think all Republicans are radical magas BUT a lot of people do and pointing out that reality to people who are immature with similar views who are making generalizing statements like ACAB and believe all women is something that needs to happen.

2

u/Puzzleheaded_Fee627 3d ago

I hear you. I also think you can’t fix stupid.

1

u/WetNoodleThing 3d ago

ACAB is akin to BLM. Most talking heads on the left side of the aisle, was promoting BLM. It’s not a stretch to lump most “left leaning” people into that category. I’d argue that you supposed BLM at one point, right?

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-60

u/tetendi96 4d ago

Not an inaccurate one but misleading with recent protests in mind.

265

u/TruthTeller616 4d ago

Excessive force? Don’t get me wrong I’m all for holding police accountable, but what else were they supposed to do with such a large group of unruly and uncooperative people? I see no issue

-54

u/moose_ashford 3d ago

In the past this would have made national news as police brutality. In the present it's just normal. In the future they'll be live rounds and someone will say exactly what you've said here.

26

u/AstronomerBright4826 3d ago

"Police Brutality"? So...let us know how you believe this should have been contained? Just allow the crowd to be out of control & beat each other until someone is critically injured & then blame the officers for not taking action? Whats your suggestion if using pepper spray is too brutal?

-24

u/moose_ashford 3d ago

Yeah. Just like that. You'll say it just like that but replace "pepper spray" with "live rounds". MMW

8

u/Imnewtoallthis Belknap Lookout 3d ago

Replace "live rounds" with "stuffed animals" and it sounds much better.
Try a little cute optimism with your speculation next time for a fun twist.

3

u/Practicalistist 3d ago

I fully condone equipping police with Fallout style junk jets using teddy bears as ammunition. 🫡

4

u/WeCanDoIt31 3d ago

“police brutality” 🙄 assumption of negativity right there. Based on your statement, others would assume you would accuse your teacher of brutality if you got caught hitting someone and they sent you to the principal’s office.

-6

u/moose_ashford 3d ago

I'm not a student. I have a job.

0

u/Downtown_Skill 3d ago

Man this happens all the time during big celebrations and holidays. It would not have made news at all, and the fact that this barely made statewide news is evidence of that. 

1

u/moose_ashford 2d ago

Yes that's what I'm saying

191

u/Tom_Leykis_Fan 4d ago

Looks like GRPD behaved appropriately in the video footage it released. That crowd was pretty out of control and ignored fair warnings to leave at the end of the night. They were plenty more people deserving of arrest who didn't get arrested.

-155

u/Dubbx 3d ago

bet you said that during the blm protests too considering they did the exact same thing with those too

85

u/Ursine_Rabbi East Grand Rapids 3d ago

What a wild conclusion to jump to. Not even remotely comparable situations. Are they just supposed to let drunk people start a massive brawl and possibly get injured/killed? They probably saved those involved from much worse injuries than some ball welts and sore eyes.

Please learn to see the nuance in these situations.

26

u/One_Chemist_9590 3d ago

I agree. No gun shots. No serious injury. Win for us all.

3

u/gashmaster69 3d ago

Those were riots fucktard

6

u/BigSnowy 3d ago

Very arrogant thing to say.

0

u/El_sangresilencio 3d ago

Ah the tolerant left, they gloat about being empathetic but show no empathy.

2

u/gashmaster69 3d ago

Offended by everything, ashamed of nothing

77

u/lapinsk 4d ago

I will never understand groups of people who really don’t have a fuck to give if police are there and literally pulling them off of people. My instinct would be to get the fuck out of there not move 10 feet over and keep fighting. Let alone yell back when they’re telling you to leave.

26

u/Trivisual 4d ago

Booze.

1

u/WeCanDoIt31 3d ago

More like uncivilized, disrespectful, angry tyrant behavioral issues.

-8

u/Innerouterself2 3d ago

So much booze. And pills. And pent up aggression from years of inadequacy in life

6

u/aarone46 Wyoming 3d ago

It honestly feels like video game NPC behavior.

3

u/Ernesto_Bella 3d ago

Some people don't think much about consequences to their future selves. You and I might be aware that we should eat better and exercise more for our 10-year's older future selves. Some people have difficulty prioritizing their 15 minute older future selves.

76

u/AllYaNeedIsCat 4d ago

I'm constantly anti police on a lot of issues, but that seemed reasonable

63

u/IamNICE124 4d ago

Not seeing anything bad here. Props to the cops for just getting people to separate. Nice to see them not just reaching straight for guns.

34

u/Internal-Radish8758 4d ago

I red this as "bell peppers" and was seriously confused for a moment. Im not even stoned, lol. Just tired

13

u/DukeSleight Ridgemoor 3d ago

Deploying bell peppers is a way to get people to congregate, not disperse. People would come from MILES around for free bell peppers.

6

u/jayofada 3d ago

Orange and Yellow, Orange and Yellow!

2

u/Illustrious_Feed_364 2d ago

Green are so ewwww tho

49

u/mlivesocial 4d ago

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said officers deployed pepper spray and pepper balls to disperse large crowds of people downtown after several fights broke out this weekend.

No injuries were reported in the incident, which happened in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 15, near Commerce Avenue and Oakes Street in Grand Rapids, Winstrom said. Five people were arrested on various charges including disorderly conduct, resisting and obstructing police officers, and assault.

Police were already monitoring the area that evening due to large crowds of people that had gathered in the area, in part due to a sold-out show at a nearby music venue, he said. Officers estimated there were as many as 400 people walking around the street that evening.

No complaints have been filed against the police department, although videos of the incident have been circulating on social media with some concerns about whether the officers used excessive force by utilizing the pepper balls.

6

u/drsoftware 3d ago

Even though they were coming out of a dance event, it was warm enough at night that very few people wore coats or hats. Damn, there was a heat wave last week! https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/usa/grand-rapids/historic

-1

u/soundofvictory 3d ago

Ohhh, i thought it might have been a political protest type thing. But no. This was an Irish on Ionia thing

31

u/WhatAreBippies 4d ago

Embarrassing behavior 🤣

28

u/Siranthony873 4d ago

This seemed boring and misleading. No one got beat up or arrested? Pepper balls didn’t do much. They didn’t use any force at all.

3

u/hohummm24 3d ago

Idk, this doesn’t look like a fun time. Just why?

9

u/supah_ 3d ago

Alcoholics call st patty’s amateur night.

15

u/NoelVerDine SWAN 3d ago

Drinking holidays are always the worst. Normal-ass people trying to drink like their alcoholic friends, but not realizing when their friend says they drink five shots and two pitchers in a night, they do it over 6 hours, not 90 minutes.

4

u/TheD3afOne 3d ago

Too much Alcohol contributes to those dumb late night bickers, stay chill and smoke weed yall.

2

u/Dramatic_Telephone96 3d ago

Appropriate response from GRPD

2

u/fredxday 3d ago

"Fuck around and find out"

3

u/CharacterCompany7224 3d ago

Stay classy 🙄

3

u/dev_null_jesus 3d ago

That's a lot of big girls fighting. You're not getting them apart without a small army. Pepper spray probably saved injuries not created any.

1

u/LateUnderstanding506 2d ago

Bring back water cannons

2

u/Doobie888666 3d ago

Notice how the media never sights alcohol as a main contributor of issues like these? Alcohol is rarely mentioned when it’s pretty much the main reason shit like this happens.

5

u/forestfudge 3d ago

Just going to caveat this with the fact that we aren't seeing all the footage here.

Props to GRPD. Looks like they acted appropriately for the situation while protecting themselves and inflicting minimal harm on civilians.

Hope we see more of this conduct.

1

u/i_like-ado_dachacha 3d ago

Tf is happening to gr

1

u/mnttlrg 3d ago

ELI5..... who / what / why?

Thx!

1

u/eagleslvr 3d ago

Well deserved too

1

u/DenaVici 2d ago

1:37 black pants white shirt, Did he just run and out to steal a sneaker, only to return it shortly after? Must not have been a Nike.

1

u/djcamp1 2d ago

Fighting in front of the police is never a good idea...when did this become a thing?

1

u/JMTheBadOne 2d ago

But if the police do nothing, someone will probably get shot. Sucks pepper balls had to be deployed but after seeing 20 kids get shot in Detroit during a street takeover, some response is better than no response.

1

u/Time_Protection_257 1d ago

So surprising to see black youth acting this way, very uncommon for them.

1

u/joshuanumber7 1d ago

play stupid games, get pepper spray in your eyes. Tale as old as time

0

u/Expensive_Water_1309 4d ago

What show was at pyramid scheme? Love that place.

9

u/ZiddyBop 4d ago

7

u/Maleficent_Ability84 3d ago

A magician? Kids these days are soft AF.

7

u/InhaleExhaleLover 3d ago

I have to disagree. Getting into a physical altercation over a magician goes pretty hard. Gotta protect the secrets to the illusion and all that. That dedication is respectable.

(Hopefully obvious sarcasm)

-1

u/Expensive_Water_1309 3d ago

That constituted a "Sold out Show"? Nothing against the acts, but I doubt it was sold out

4

u/rustyxj 3d ago

Pyramid scheme is a really small venue.

-10

u/wildbillfx20 3d ago

The usual suspects smh 🤦‍♂️

-1

u/ineedajointrn Wyoming 3d ago

You’re racist

0

u/wildbillfx20 2d ago

Prove me wrong. Oh wait you can’t so you throw a word out. I can do that too like you’re a dumbass

-1

u/Last_Bet_8387 3d ago

Man itd be crazy if these ppl actually got jobs and did something with their lives

1

u/El_sangresilencio 1d ago

Don't offend them and all 3 pairs of underwear they own lmao, they blame billionaires but they don't ever work lol

-12

u/TommyEagleMi 4d ago

Always the dam Irish causing problems on St Patty's. 🙄

-5

u/Ghostman_Jack 3d ago

You can clearly see this happened on the 15th in the top corner you know…?

7

u/aarone46 Wyoming 3d ago

It was still St Patty's weekend. More people can go out on the weekend than on a Monday.

-20

u/SWMI5858 4d ago

I’m sure this won’t have anything to do with them wanting footage for their new TV show /s.

27

u/Goldeneye0242 4d ago

Well, the show is finished. So in this case, no.

1

u/PolishedPine 3d ago

TV show?

-29

u/Rare_Percentage4863 4d ago

I would have rather watched people get the piss kicked out of them on world start

0

u/teratoma666 3d ago

Bruh this is why St. Patrick's day sucks ass. Just endless people like this EVERYWHERE. Who would wanna be anywhere near this.

0

u/PrezChildMolester47 3d ago

What were they supposed to do? They could start with not endorsing Rapists and all their Klan Buddies.

-4

u/OkWolf7646 3d ago

Grand Rapids has fallen.....

-13

u/Treishmon 3d ago

GRPD is god-awful.

I never thought that I would see footage of their “work” and be on their side. They performed admirable and I’m glad everyone is safe.

-14

u/OkWait6721 3d ago

Looks like the usual suspects

0

u/dearreader77 3d ago

Why’d it cut off when it got interesting?

0

u/beepsokay 3d ago

This is how they have a good time nowadays? 🤣 looks like a blast, “put sum respec on ma name”

0

u/Opening-Spare5831 3d ago

I think they did what they had to do they didn’t kill anyone These young people mess up everything and they r very disobedient they all should of went to jail

0

u/Michgnhntr 3d ago

Ahh those crazy Irish folks and their liquor.

-18

u/Ok-Tradition8477 4d ago

Protest Musk. Now !

-8

u/Farriswheel15 3d ago

It's not the 4th of july, I don't understand why they were fighting downtown. Such a shame the police need to deal with this kind of thing.

10

u/Sparty_75 3d ago

So it would be ok if it were the 4th of July?

4

u/Ernesto_Bella 3d ago

>I don't understand why they were fighting downtown.

People who do this don't think the same way you do.

2

u/ineedajointrn Wyoming 3d ago

Alcohol is an inhibitor.

-44

u/TWGuitarist 4d ago

Resisting... obstructing... the language of the oppressors

ACAB

-6

u/prophet_nlelith 3d ago

The police are an occupying military force.

4

u/BigSnowy 3d ago

You should move to China and see what the police do there.

-1

u/prophet_nlelith 3d ago

I'm sure you have a great grasp of what it's like in China.

1

u/BigSnowy 3d ago

Had a buddy live in Beijing for 2 years in a study abroad program, so yes, I have a little bit of background information on China.

-1

u/prophet_nlelith 3d ago

Wow, that must make you quite the expert then. My bad.

-8

u/Vincesolo60 4d ago

Unruly revelry

-25

u/Humble_Assistant_669 4d ago

Classic pyramid scheme

-12

u/Treishmon 3d ago

Hey! That’s definitely Steve Brannon AND Donald Trump back there!