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View Full Version : Police Fears over Mass Pillow Fight


LostSheep
May 18th, 2008, 04:35 AM
hrmmm.


Police in Leeds are trying to stop a so-called flashmob event planned for the city this weekend fearing it could descend into a mass brawl.

Sunday's gathering was advertised on the social networking website Facebook as a harmless pillow fight.

But police said they were concerned it could spark major public disorder.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7406176.stm
Rudas Starblaze
May 18th, 2008, 04:43 AM
:lol: law enforcement..... they freak out over someone stopped on a gravel road 15 miles outta town taking a leak too.....
Sequoia
May 18th, 2008, 05:50 PM
Well.. I can kind of see how it could easily dissolve into violence.

But, erm... I think they may be overreacting. I mean, it's just a pillow fight.
Lady Shalymar
May 18th, 2008, 05:52 PM
Do they even understand what a flashmob is? I saw one on the news once and I think it's totally cool.

I hope they continue with the event anyways.
Ahautenites
May 18th, 2008, 05:54 PM
Depends.... is it 20 people who will show up for this pillow fight, or 20,000? And how big is the area where they will all be? And who has let the people in that neighborhood know? If it's a public demonstration, police really ought to be there to make sure it doesn't get out of control.
Lady Shalymar
May 18th, 2008, 06:08 PM
Ok I can understand that... but it's not a pillow fight like you might be thinking of.

It's like a bunch of people show up and then will freeze in the middle of something. Be there for a very short time and then all disappear. The point of a flashmob is to get there, then disappate.

Here's a youtube clip of a commercial featuring a flashmob.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXFceSFbSng&feature=related
Ahautenites
May 18th, 2008, 06:11 PM
Ohhh, I saw one of those in a Law & Order: SVU episode! That one was kind of creepy, too. Everyone looked and acted normal, and then there was a sound and everyone froze midstep or midsentence for a few minutes.
Lady Shalymar
May 18th, 2008, 06:15 PM
Ohhh, I saw one of those in a Law & Order: SVU episode! That one was kind of creepy, too. Everyone looked and acted normal, and then there was a sound and everyone froze midstep or midsentence for a few minutes.

That bit on Law and Order is actually based off a real one that happened. Check out http://improveverywhere.com/ and they have a clip of the L&W episode where it's from. I guess one of the writers heard about what they did and mimicked it for the show, they had no idea.

There's nothing sinister, dangerous, etc about flashmobs. It's about people just "being". Hard to explain. There's no point other than weirdness really lol.
Ahautenites
May 18th, 2008, 06:17 PM
Hah! Here's a YouTube FlashMob Pillow Fight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVms_sahfak&feature=related

**laughs** No WONDER the police would be concerned. If people just all of a sudden began beating the hell out of each other, it would look like a riot had just broken out.


Still, it looked like a lot of fun.