Flash Mob Gang Warfare 325
TexasDex writes "You've all heard of flash mobs and Flash Mob Computing. Now here's a new twist on the flash mob phenomenon: Almost 3 dozen people were arrested for a March 3 street fight. 'What makes this case unusual is how the clash was arranged: via a profanity-laced Internet chat room.' Apparently two Dallas gangs, after trading insults in a chat room, traded their keyboards for fists and baseball bats and arranged a time to meet and duke it out in real life. The gang members were later identified and arrested with the aid of a digital video tape of the brawl. According to one officer, 'Some of them actually signed in with their true names, so that helped us identify people.'"
Already done, way bigger (Score:4, Informative)
This time it was a major battle between Ajax and Feyenoord (football clubs from Amsterdam and Rotterdam respectively) supporters, to quote:
"In March 1997 an Ajax fan died after an organised fight between hundreds of Feyenoord and Ajax hooligans in a meadow near Beverwijk."
This lead to the death of one Ajax supporter Cario Picornie.
They organised this fight using cellulars.
Re:With or without computers.... (Score:3, Informative)
Football Hooligans (Score:1, Informative)
These meetings have adjusted to bring in new technology, many 'firms', as these groups call themselves, now have their own bulletin board with bosses exchanging URLS over SMS before the match in order to orgainse the fight online.
Admittedly these things don't break out from a flame war, these are far more premeditiated, but using the 'net to organise a fight is old news.
Oh, the best thing about these boards was how the members would list their "Battle honours" after each post.
Milwall '87
Cardiff '92
etc.
Fight (Score:3, Informative)
And no, these kids were not "computer nerds". In fact, that part of Garland is considered a low-wealth, blue collar area; these are just punk kids who happen to use computers.
Re:Scoop! (Score:3, Informative)