Flash Mobs

[Philagoofy]

Philadelphia has been having a problem with "flash mobs" recently. Just tonight - Sat night - it was reported that "thousands" of teenagers & young adults converged in a section of center city causing businesses to close early & restaurants to keep patrons inside for their safety.

This is the 4th time since December that this has happened although I think this was the largest crowd so far. I saw the one in December but didn't know what it was at the time. I couldn't understand why the Gallery - a center city shopping mall - was so crowded with young people so early in the day and why there was so much security around until I read about it later.

I suppose this is happening around the country. They twitter or text one another to be at a certain place/certain time and it just keeps growing. It can be a little scary being in the middle of that.

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

I didn't know another one happened. I was watching a movie tonight and I didn't see the news. That is really scary. I just don't understand why teenagers would want to do something like this?

 

[Spoonful of Sugar]

I'm confused... are they doing something or just hanging around? It would freak me out either way, I'm sure, but is there actually a danger?

 

[Philagoofy]

It was around 11:30 Sat night, I saw it on Philly.com. It said there were a couple of fist fights & a gun was found. Also gunfire but it didn't say much more about that. But the people in their cars trying to get somewhere who were surrounded by all of these kids were probably pretty nervous. (sp)

 

[Spoonful of Sugar]

Yikes! How awful!

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

Here is a link to the story - OP, I hope you don't mind that I posted it.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/b...ntrol_thousands_of_teens_on_South_Street.html

 

[Philagoofy]

No, that's fine, I don't know how to post a link.

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

No, that's fine, I don't know how to post a link.

I usually just copy and paste the link into text area. It usually highlights and links itself.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

....i thought flash mobs were when things like a bunch of people start doing the Thriller dance or something similar to that. i don't see how that would be considered "dangerous"....

 

[Philagoofy]

I don't think they are dancing. I think a few hundred or more teens/young adults gathering together is something I'd want to face. Even the incident last Dec was a little intimadating and there were far fewer people.

And thanks DisneyGirl, how easy was that. duh.

Unfortunately, crowds, no matter what they gather for, can end up being dangerous. Phillies winning the WS, what an embarrassement.

http://www.philly.com/

 

[sunnyday123]

....i thought flash mobs were when things like a bunch of people start doing the Thriller dance or something similar to that. i don't see how that would be considered "dangerous"....

My cousin went to Temple ( in Philly ) and sent me a group request for a flash-mob on facebook. Because a 40 year old woman would participate. They were all going to meet up with nerf swords and have a fight. Sounds harmeless, right?

Until you realize Philly is having big problems with violence, and someone may tell someone else who isn't so great, and so on....plus add into it that they are closing down businesses, preventing people from driving, and causing damages. Some of them are going into gas stations and tearing stuff apart. They'll just progessively get worse, or give someone else not so good ideas.

 

[MsDisney23]

I saw this on the news this morning, very scary. There is also something else they are doing, and that is just picking a random person and assulting them. I just saw that on the news yesterday morning. Wish I caught what the name is they are using for this. A group of teens will just target a person, then beat them pretty bad.

They showed a man in the hospital in grave condition, and interview a woman who was beaten as well. Things have to change.

 

[LoraJ]

....i thought flash mobs were when things like a bunch of people start doing the Thriller dance or something similar to that. i don't see how that would be considered "dangerous"....

Me too. I think perhaps they should use a different name for what these people in Philly are doing.

 

[Philagoofy]

I saw this on the news this morning, very scary. There is also something else they are doing, and that is just picking a random person and assulting them. I just saw that on the news yesterday morning. Wish I caught what the name is they are using for this. A group of teens will just target a person, then beat them pretty bad.

They showed a man in the hospital in grave condition, and interview a woman who was beaten as well. Things have to change.

Yes, yet another thing for Philly to be proud of - "Catch & Wreck". 9-15 year olds randomly picking someone on the street who they think is homeless & beating them. A 73 year old man, who is NOT homeless, is in serious condition at the hospital, suffered a heart attack while being beaten & stomped by kids. And some of the kids who do this laughed at the police when they explained to them what it was & how they did it for fun.

Hey mom & dad, monitor you kids. Give them something to do & make sure they are doing it. Nine years old?????

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20100321_Attacks_in_S_W__Phila__injure_two.html

 

[MizTink]

you know, this was the first i had heard of this and was wondering what the big deal is. but as i kept reading posts, i realized it's not so innocent.

OMG......what are these "kids" thinking? things are going to escalate and get out of hand quickly. actually, it looks like it already is.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

OMG I am so glad I don't live in the city anymore... that's some scary you-know-what. Philly folks know how to do some damage.

 

[Heidict]

I can understand how a "flash mob" is disrupting to everyone. The police, the motorists, the business owners. What I don't understand is why it is "scary" and why they locked patrons in the store to "protect them".

This is a bunch of young adults and teens getting together in one location, not a roving band of armed and deadly killers.

 

[eliza61]

Philadelphia has been having a problem with "flash mobs" recently. Just tonight - Sat night - it was reported that "thousands" of teenagers & young adults converged in a section of center city causing businesses to close early & restaurants to keep patrons inside for their safety.

This is the 4th time since December that this has happened although I think this was the largest crowd so far. I saw the one in December but didn't know what it was at the time. I couldn't understand why the Gallery - a center city shopping mall - was so crowded with young people so early in the day and why there was so much security around until I read about it later.

I suppose this is happening around the country. They twitter or text one another to be at a certain place/certain time and it just keeps growing. It can be a little scary being in the middle of that.

I didn't know another one happened. I was watching a movie tonight and I didn't see the news. That is really scary. I just don't understand why teenagers would want to do something like this?

Aren't these things crazy!! The Deptford mall is cracking down on teenagers hanging in the mall on the weekend.
Dh and I were down at South Street this past Friday since the weather was gorgeous, mobs of kids simply walking up and down south street. most were not doing any thing but there were a few times when you saw people holding their "collective" breathes.

I've given my two teenage sons the "serious, all heck will break loose if I even think you're involved in one of these" talks.

 

[eliza61]

I can understand how a "flash mob" is disrupting to everyone. The police, the motorists, the business owners. What I don't understand is why it is "scary" and why they locked patrons in the store to "protect them".

This is a bunch of young adults and teens getting together in one location, not a roving band of armed and deadly killers.

Au contraire. they are dangerous. In philly they have been roaming the streets destroying property, over turning cars, over turning trash cans. Now how far of a leap do you think it's going to be before they start beating up people on the street?
A flash mob of 150 teens slammed into Center City yesterday afternoon like a tidal wave of stupidity, flooding the streets with chaos and fear.

This incident happen a few weeks ago in Center City. It's from Philly.com

The mob of mindless miscreants gathered at the Gallery mall about 4:45 p.m. for a fight that police suspect may have been arranged earlier in the day on the Internet, police said.

Mall security guards chased the marauders, only to watch them stampede through the nearby Macy's, causing $700 worth of damage, said Lt. George Ondrejka of Central Detectives.

The teens, including numerous students from Simon Gratz and Benjamin Franklin High Schools, then wreaked havoc as they moved en masse across Market Street toward City Hall, Ondrejka said.

Traffic came to a halt as the youngsters began pelting cars, pedestrians and one another with snowballs, Ondrejka said. They knocked down numerous bystanders and some members of the mob even turned on each other. Philadelphia police and several SEPTA cops swarmed the scene and collared 15 participants - 14 boys and one girl - near City Hall, Ondrejka noted.

The boys, ages 14 to 17, were charged with disorderly conduct and rioting. Ondrejka said the girl, 15, was charged with assault for kicking a teen boy in the face.

Now you tell me, how safe do you feel if your in your car on Broad street and now you've got 150 teens throwing snowballs and debris at it?

 

[Shyvioletisme]

Philadelphia has been having a problem with "flash mobs" recently. Just tonight - Sat night - it was reported that "thousands" of teenagers & young adults converged in a section of center city causing businesses to close early & restaurants to keep patrons inside for their safety.

This is the 4th time since December that this has happened although I think this was the largest crowd so far. I saw the one in December but didn't know what it was at the time. I couldn't understand why the Gallery - a center city shopping mall - was so crowded with young people so early in the day and why there was so much security around until I read about it later.

I suppose this is happening around the country. They twitter or text one another to be at a certain place/certain time and it just keeps growing. It can be a little scary being in the middle of that.

I didn't know another one happened. I was watching a movie tonight and I didn't see the news. That is really scary. I just don't understand why teenagers would want to do something like this?

It's not just adults...but I don't see any problem with it...it's just a fun thing...I have never heard of one where people are out to hurt anyone or scare anyone...it's just a fun little short get together and then it's over...

For instance, there was a big mob that took place in London yesterday having to do with the show Spaced...no one seemed frightened by it or anything like that...it happened in the course of about 1 and half minutes and then it was done and people dispersed...So why are people so "scared" of them???