Scuffles at Westfield Franklin Park Mall result in arrest of 6 teenagers
Toledo police arrested at least six teenagers Saturday night at Westfield Franklin Park after responding to reports of fights erupting throughout the mall.
The first scuffles were noted about 7:45 p.m. Police broke up groups of teens at the food court, around the movie theaters, and in several other locations.
Police arrested teens who did not disperse on charges ranging from assault to obstructing official business and resisting arrest. One kicked a trash can at officers and was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, Officer James Schlievert said.
No serious injuries were reported.
************ No race was reported either but I'll take an educated guess most were black. I remember when several University of Toledo students were conducting a survey at Portside in the 80s, registering comments and complaints. I said, "How can I put this politely?" and then remarked about "unattended black youth" that overwhelmed the place with their unproductive presence. Walking away, my friend and I overheard the girl say, "That's what I hate about this survey - it brings out racism." I turned around and told her if she didn't want the facts, call them racist or not, then don't ask for them.
Then the beginning of the end for Southwyck was when it became known by concerned whites that blacks "took over" on Friday nights, swarming in front of the Red Baron, blocking the entrance to normal shoppers who went there to browse and purchase things, not just loiter or get dropped off as some public baby-sitter station unavailable in the Projects.
It's rumored that Levis Commons and Fallen Timbers didn't want bus lines running to their stores, knowing it could lead to their ruin - at least in atmosphere. I checked and a bus line does go from downtown Toledo to Perrysburg but I don't know about Fallen Timbers.
It appears Franklin Park Mall (Westfield Shopping Center) has received a black eye by their frightening disturbances of the peace and it could definitely contribute to their demise.
This sounds strangely reminiscent of African bees versus the European bees. The African bees are more violent and respond to real or imagined threats by sending out three or four times more than the European bees do and drive away the productive bees.
In the days of segregation, for all its faults, such things were unheard of and people of white color could feel safe and secure.
