Archives May 11, 2011

Originally posted: http://www.goldengatexpress.org/2011/05/11/superheroes-swoop-in-to-fight-crime/
By [X]press Staff
The sights and sounds of a riot filled the streets on a chilly night in Oakland when suddenly, strange figures emerged from an alley. Covered in glass and grime and with only their eyes visible, they glowed in the mad light of the city.
In the middle stood a man clad in a Kevlar vest, combat boots, and a mask covering the lower half of his face, with Taser knuckles glowing on his right fist.
“Who are you?” someone shouted.
The voice behind the mask looked at them and calmly replied, “We are real-life superheroes.”
This is not a story from the pages of a comic book, but one of real people all over the country who dress up and fight for their community. These self-described superheroes have found a variety of different ways to help their neighborhoods, from organizing blood drives to feeding the homeless. They use their costumes as a way to draw attention to the cause.
Peter Tangen, a Hollywood photographer and the de facto spokesman as well as expert on Real Life Superheroes, calls the people who participate in the movement “a perfect cross section of America.”
Like many denizens of the comic book pages, Motor Mouth, 30, of Oakland, who declined to give his “civilian” name, started out as just an average citizen. Then “fan boy” read a comic that changed his life.
That comic was “Kick-Ass” by Mark Millar, which tells the story of a boy who chooses to dress up and fight crime in his neighborhood. Motor Mouth was instantly attracted to the “poor man’s Batman” aspect of the comic and intrigued by the notion of people in the real world using superhero identities to better their community.
Motor Mouth then did what any comic book lover would do and turned to the Internet. There he found the world of RLSH and knew that he wanted to be a part of it.
The idea of concealed identities and community crusaders is not a new idea, but activity often spikes when the country in times of upheaval, and according to the RLSH website, there are currently several thousand such activists in the country.
The presence of superheroes, real or fictional, is something that Tangen sees as a reflection of the national mood.
“It can be seen even as far back as World War II,” Tangen said. “People need a hero. There is a need to see someone who stands for something right and good. The world around them is losing some of their priorities.”
Motor Mouth attributes his desire to help his community to childhood experiences.
Born to medical worker parents, the need to help others was ingrained in him from a very early age. In his youth, he would often stop school bullies from intimidating other students.
“I think too many people in this world nowadays allow for too much gray area,” Motor Mouth said. “When the reality is, bad is bad and good is good.”
Tangen agreed with that statement.
“Apathy exists, but these people are people who reject that idea,” Tangen said.
Motor Mouth, along with members of a larger group called “The Pacific Protectorate” often take it upon themselves to go on missions in some of the city’s worst neighborhoods at night to facilitate activities ranging from calling police to report drug deals, to breaking up bar fights, or as was the case in January 2009, participate in inhibiting the madness that was the Oakland riots.
Over the course of that night, Motor Mouth and his team stopped teenagers from using a battering ram on a building (with the help of Motor Mouth’s non-lethal Taser knuckles) and saved a woman from an exploding building.
When asked if he was afraid at any point during this night, Motor Mouth laughed.
“In order to be a real life superhero you have to take the fear that may be inside of you and manifest it into something that’s useful,” Motor Mouth said.
Officer Holly Joshi of the Oakland Police Department said these groups have been useful to the community and said that she appreciates their efforts.
“They’re on the right track,” Joshi said. “Citizens have a responsibility to protect their community, it’s not just a police issue.”

Originally posted: http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/9019699._Superhero__patrols_Harrow_streets_at_night/
By Jack Royston

HARROW criminals may sleep a little less soundly at night knowing a self-proclaimed “real-life superhero” is patrolling the streets.
The Man in Black, aka 19-year-old Joseph Falica, dons a black trilby or flat cap and sometimes hides his face with a scarf, before jumping out of the darkness at unsuspecting troublemakers.
The Harrow Weald resident has learned Parkour, an urban French discipline, which involves climbing and jumping onto the top of buildings, so he can survey the streets around him.
He says he has a spot in Harrow town centre where no one can see him, but he has a perfect view of anything happening below.
He said: “The main weapon I use is to inflict fear on the criminal by coming out of the darkness. It does generally work.
“I just get people to stop and if it escalates, it escalates.”
However, a Met Police spokesman said: “We strongly advise people not to take the law into their own hands. If people see a crime being committed, they should always call 999.”
Joseph claims a recent incident involved a man who was being physically aggressive to his girlfriend in the Harrow-on-the-Hill area.
He recalled: “He was pinning the girl to the wall. I just came up and scared him because I came out of the black.
“He asked who I was and I said, ‘That doesn’t matter, just get off her and don’t touch her again or else we are going to have a problem’.”
After chasing the man away, Jospeh walked the girl home and said she was happy he had intervened, but did not really understand what had happened.
Joseph claims he also found some kids smoking drugs near St Mary’s Church in Harrow-on-the-Hill and moved them on.
The self-appointed superhero, who was born in Britain, moved to America with his family in 1998 and says he comes from a criminal background.
He claims ancestors on his father’s side were involved with the Sicilian mafia in Chicago, although his grandfather was the last in the chain.
While in America, Joseph became involved in gangs, fighting and general antisocial behaviour, but decided to turn his back on his troubled past and do something good for society.
However, Joseph’s bid to fight crime has landed him in trouble and on one occasion, he was attacked by up to four people with baseball bats.

Originally posted:
By Rich Johnston
Zimmer Barnes is a Real Life Super Hero, working in New York. But now he’s gone to Texas, this time to defend someone accused of gun crime. His own mother.
Attorney Carolyn Barnes, specialising in medical malpractice, was arrested a year ago for allegedly shooting at a census worker on her doorstep. She had previously been arrested for assaulting a court officer after she tried to pass a multi-tool knife blade through X-ray machine at the Heman Sweatt Courthouse a few months earlier, as well as charges of bail jumping.
Zimmer however isn’t having any of it. “This accuser, Kathleen Gittel, has changed her story twice. When the police searched my mother’s home, ammunition, bullet holes, casings and gun powder residue couldn’t be found. They didn’t even find a gun. Bullet holes and gun powder residue can’t magically disappear, they weren’t found because they don’t exist.”
“Kathleen Gittel alleges that she walked over a mile to get to Carolyn Barnes’ very rural residence, even going over a low water crossing and ignoring “No Trespassing” signs. However, she originally stated that the incident had occurred at 33 Indian Trail, an address in another town over, and her description of Barnes’ residence does not match its actual appearance.”
Refused coverage by Texas’ so-called “Castle Doctrine” which means that people can defend themselves in heir home by, basically, shooting anyone they think is a threat, she was released on bail with a tag until that was revoked in February.
Zimmer says “While the conditions that lead up to Carolyn Barnes being detained in jail are troubling, the conditions inside the jail are even worse. Carolyn Barnes is in solitary confinement, shackled at the ankles and wrists. She is under 24 hour surveillance, including when she uses a toilet or shower. She is forbidden from making phone calls or having any visitors”. This included Zimmer, currently authorised as her attorney-in-fact.
He concludes “There are convicted serial killers, pedophiles and terrorists that get better treatment than what she’s getting. From a civil liberties standpoint, it’s totally inappropriate for someone that should be assumed innocent until proven guilty. I’ve patrolled high crime areas, removed gang tags and defended people from violent attacks. I’m currently helping to coordinate the NYI to stop the recent muggings in the West Village and track down the Long Island serial killer. But this is the toughest challenge I’ve ever faced. I’m not leaving until she’s free.”