Officials at a west-side art gallery were consulting with attorneys Monday after a Detroit police raid Saturday morning left 130 partygoers with loitering tickets and 44 vehicles impounded.
Police said the raid targeted illegal after-hours alcohol sales.
Patrons described commando-dressed cops, some heavily armed, bursting into a popular monthly party at the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit — widely known as CAID — about 2:20 a.m. and forcing people to the floor at gunpoint. Some patrons described police as abusive, said Aaron Timlin, CAID’s executive director.
“There were serious civil liberties issues here,” said Timlin, who said the crowd was composed largely of young suburbanites.
CAID is a nonprofit that for 29 years has promoted art and art education in Detroit. The raid took place in its gallery in a 119-year-old building on Rosa Parks Boulevard north of West Warren.
The party under way Saturday morning was the monthly Funk Night, at which gallery members dance to funk music. The party usually starts at midnight and lasts until about 5 a.m.
Wow. With shootings, drug deals, hits, hookers, dog fights, and more going on nightly in other areas in Detroit, you’d think the DPD would find more important things to do than break up an all night funk party.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually believe police officers are one of the most important assests to any community - I am extremely grateful for them where I live. But doesn’t Detroit want to attract hipster suburbanites for cool events like a funk party that celebrates our musical heritage? Not to mention this took place in a historical building downtown that was hosting an art gallery. Why bust it up like it was a terrorist group? I’m sure there was a better way to go about it, but maybe I’m missing something.
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June 3rd, 2008 at 8:16 am
Cousin Justin
My first reaction to this story was similair to yours, but in the story it does say the Police had come a few weeks earlier and politely told them to not have illegal liqour sales. Anything that happens in the region is also tinged with race issues and I am sure the cops feel disrespected by the White kids that think they can just come to the city and break the rules with impunity. I am sure the cops were way nicer th these hipsters than they ever would have been to a blind pig with a black clientel. I especially got a kick out of the guy that stood up and said he was a lawyer and demanded to know what was happening and all he got was a boot in the back…ha ha aha
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Max
Haha….I’m a lawyer…fuck you, this is Detroit….whack!