thoughts?

newbreedbrian - 7-31-2006 at 06:46 AM

NEWS STORY

No charges yet in mob attack on drug house

globalnational.com

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Fire file photo. (BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)
Fire file photo. (BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images)
The aftermath of the Grand Manan brawl. (Global National image)
The aftermath of the Grand Manan brawl. (Global National image)

OPEWELL CAPE, NB -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper says an incident on New Brunswick's Grand Manan Island shows that Canadians want Ottawa to get tougher on crime.

On Saturday, the RCMP says about 50 people, mostly fishermen, attacked a group of 10 people they suspected of being drug dealers.

Harper, in New Brunswick Wednesday to announce Atlantic tourism funding, called Saturday's incident an "extreme example" of the desire of Canadians to see a crackdown on crime, and said his government is determined to address such issues with minimum sentences for serious crimes.
Global National Online Extras
? Stacey Baillie reports
? Wednesday's report
? More Global National News

The Mounties are still investigating the early morning mayhem, which led to a four-hour street fight that ended with the larger group torching a suspected crack house, burning it to the ground.

The three police officers on duty at the time were unable to break up the brawl, or prevent the arson, as members of the larger group apparently prevented firefighters from attending to the blaze by blocking the road with their trucks and screaming at them to let it burn.

Both groups were also armed with guns, knives and baseball bats; some shots were fired, but no one was struck, although four male residents of the home were badly beaten.

So far, no charges have been laid stemming from the incident, which has shaken the tiny community of Castalia on the normally peaceful New Brunswick island of Grand Manan, known as a popular destination for naturalists and vacationers who crave its rugged beauty and peace.

Talk around town is that the island has not seen the end of this vigilante-style violence.

"The rumour that's out around is that they're gonna clean the place up and this was just the start," Mayor Dennis Greene said Tuesday. "They seem to be very determined people."

"The community is on pins and needles," Greene added. "Everywhere you go, there's a small group of people that are talking in their little circles. It's a major concern."

RCMP Sgt. Greg MacAvoy said some extra officers were placed on the Grand Manan Monday night as a preventive measure, but declined to elaborate on the Mounties' increased presence on the island. Global News has learned that the number has doubled from four to eight.

"We're hoping we've got some things in place to help us prevent any further flare-up," MacAvoy said. "If it does, we're hopefully going to be able to act appropriately."

The massive fight and fire is, principally, what is being investigated, he said, and charges laid will depend on where the investigation takes officers.

They could range from arson and damage to property, to assaults and threats.

"That's just speculation until we can actually conduct some interviews and get some specifics," he said. "A house was burned. Part of the information that I've been questioned about and one of the versions we're hearing is that this is rooted in drug trafficking.

"That is something we'll keep in mind during the course of our investigation."

Some non-islanders who were involved in the brawl left on the first boat Sunday morning at the urging of the RCMP, said MacAvoy.
He could not say how many people left.

Although reports of injuries have been rampant, MacAvoy said he could not confirm that, either.

The house that was burned was "one of several that people have expressed concerns about," said MacAvoy.

The fact that there are crack houses on Grand Manan is not news to addictions counsellor Karen Thomas.

The house that burned, she said, "seemed to be a place people would go to get it often and it was accessible there.

"But there are other places. I can walk by them when I'm out for my walk. They're well-known to the community and to the RCMP."

She estimates about half of the 20 clients she sees each month would identify crack cocaine as their drug of choice. Some are as young as 14 years old.

-- With files from Canadian Press

jonnynewbreed - 7-31-2006 at 07:43 AM

Fisherman don't take no shit. Good for them taking their home island back.

Voodoobillyman - 7-31-2006 at 08:44 AM

I applaud them.

Voodoobillyman - 7-31-2006 at 08:46 AM

if you tried to do that in the States though, your ass would get plugged full of holes lickety split. The first time I went to Detroit, I went down MLK blvd leading to downtown and saw crack neighborhoods, not just a house or two, whole blocks of abandoned homes being used as drug dens with armed sentries standing out front, in broad daylight. Scary shit

JawnDiablo - 7-31-2006 at 09:48 AM

There's entire streets in N and W philly like that.

godabandonedme - 7-31-2006 at 10:26 AM

I work in North and trust me, they don't care that there are hundreds of cops trying to shut shit down. We have litterally had full blocks of residents come out and fight us because were locking up their "cousins" or brothas an shit it's ridiculous. I too applaud those wacky canucks efforts. At least they are doing it before their neighborhoods degenerate into the shit here where all of the residents are afraid to take a stand and end up blaming the police.

crazyfists28 - 7-31-2006 at 11:11 AM

i would be so proud if i saw people taking a stand like that, its just unfortunate that if others follow that there is a good chance that someone that is doing it for the right reasons will get hurt or killed by the drug dealing scum that they are trying to get rid of

newbreedbrian - 7-31-2006 at 11:28 AM

i find it really inspiring. what will be interesting is to see the legal ramifications of the whole thing. i definately get the feeling there will be some leniency with any charges laid. nice to see every once in awhile people say enough is enough.

barc0debaby - 7-31-2006 at 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Voodoobillyman
if you tried to do that in the States though, your ass would get plugged full of holes lickety split.

Not to mention all the lawsuits! The dealers that were attacked would be millionaires, Johnny Cochrans ghost would rise from the afterlife at the smell of all that dough.

BKT - 7-31-2006 at 12:06 PM

Good work on their part. What they did takes balls of steel. Too bad more shit like that does not happen.

MM.

BDx13 - 7-31-2006 at 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by barc0debaby
Johnny Cochrans ghost would rise from the afterlife at the smell of all that dough.

hahahahhaa!

Dave - 7-31-2006 at 12:35 PM

Quote:

Not to mention all the lawsuits! The dealers that were attacked would be millionaires, Johnny Cochrans ghost would rise from the afterlife at the smell of all that dough.

little bit different in Canada, if it was in the states tho, watch out!

moron - 7-31-2006 at 12:50 PM

People caring about their community is awesome, but Im not sure Im down with vigilantism. Did I spell that right?

Discipline - 7-31-2006 at 01:00 PM

I saw this on the news a couple of days ago. Words can't describe how proud I am of that community. If the cops aren't going to do it, somebody has to.

upyerbum - 7-31-2006 at 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by newbreedbrian
i find it really inspiring. what will be interesting is to see the legal ramifications of the whole thing. i definately get the feeling there will be some leniency with any charges laid. nice to see every once in awhile people say enough is enough.

I'd bet money there won't be a single charge laid.