In the Nov. 5 issue of Wednesday Journal there was a news article, “River Forest cop used pepper balls on teens in Halloween crowd,” and also a Journal editorial in Viewpoints [Our Views, Pepper balls in Oak Park]. Both were about a crowd of 500 “individuals” who gathered on Lake Street on Oct. 31.
They engaged in multiple fights, at least one gunshot was fired, and a person present was armed with a bat. The article described those involved as “teens.” However, the editorial described them as “some 500 pretty young teens”; and also opined that “What’s troubling is, as was reported in the news, pepper balls were deployed against these ‘youth’ in Oak Park.”
The editorial seemed to be laying the groundwork to completely ignore and seemingly condone the “innocent” actions of this group (mob?) of people who were fighting in the streets, shooting off a gun that fortunately did not injure the usual innocent bystander, and walking around with a baseball bat which when used anywhere but a baseball field presents an intent at bodily harm. These are not the actions of law-abiding citizens or innocent young teens, including an incident in which “numerous individuals [were] actively striking a [single] victim.” By not condemning these actions, the Wednesday Journal editorial staff evidently condone and accept these actions as appropriate for Oak Park’s Downtown Business District.
Instead, the Journal editors use this event to take their usual shot against Oak Park’s Police Department. For example: A River Forest cop discharged a pepper ball weapon? Apparently that’s the Oak Park Police Department’s fault.
The Journal editorial also says “And we cannot figure out how the Journal learned which department was responsible for the action even as, on Monday, Oak Park police said they did not know.”
Well, I can tell you. The Journal editorial previously stated: “Based on video provided to the Journal …” So who provided the video? Did they also provide it to the OPPD? Did the Journal provide it to the OPPD? Saying the OPPD is at fault because a third party provided a video to the Journal that they did not provide to OPPD is not the fault of OPPD. It is just part of the ongoing effort by the Journal to slam OPPD every chance it gets.
The OPPD is not ICE. The OPPD did not use tear gas, chokeholds, or any other type of attacks against this mob. Rather than attacking the entire OPPD for the actions of a single River Forest police officer, the Journal’s editorial board should be praising OPPD for its calm and measured restraint to an overwhelming and chaotic situation. Based upon the reporting and editorial of the Journal, not a single one of the 500 individuals was injured by the OPPD or any other police officer present.
Alan E. Krause
Oak Park