{"id":16179,"date":"2011-10-11T22:48:08","date_gmt":"2011-10-12T05:48:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reallifesuperheroes.org\/?p=16179"},"modified":"2011-10-11T22:48:08","modified_gmt":"2011-10-12T05:48:08","slug":"new-york-city-superheroes-react-to-arrest-of-crime-fighter-phoenix-jones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/2011\/10\/11\/new-york-city-superheroes-react-to-arrest-of-crime-fighter-phoenix-jones\/","title":{"rendered":"New York City \u2018Superheroes\u2019 React To Arrest Of Crime Fighter \u2018Phoenix Jones\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally posted: http:\/\/newyork.cbslocal.com\/2011\/10\/11\/new-york-city-superheroes-react-to-arrest-of-crime-fighter-phoenix-jones\/<\/a>
\nNEW YORK (CBSNewYork)<\/strong> \u2013 New York\u2019s burgeoning amateur \u201csuperhero\u201d community take notice: Don\u2019t try breaking up a fight in Seattle.
\nThe Big Apple is home to countless comic book superheros<\/a> \u2013 and a few self-styled \u201creal\u201d ones.
\nThe New York Initiative is a group of folks who wear costumes and say their goals are patrolling for criminals, public security, humanitarian outreach and more.
\nTheir mission statement, found on their Facebook page, says \u201cWe are individuals organized towards achieving peacekeeping objectives and humanitarian missions. This will translate into a variety of non-monetary services as unfolding events demand. Our primary goal will always be to help those in the most need to the highest ethical standard and to the maximum effect.\u201d
\nNews of the arrest of one of their costumed colleagues in Seattle \u2013 a man who guys by the name Phoenix Jones \u2013 has their Facebook page humming.
\nThe arrest came after a confrontation that was caught on video and is embedded below.
\nPhoenix Jones Stops Assault<\/a> from Ryan McNamee<\/a> on Vimeo<\/a>.
\nJones, whose real name is Benjamin Fodor, allegedly used pepper spray on four people. They say they were dancing in the streets; Jones says they were fighting and tried to break it up.
\nHis actions have prompted a response within New York\u2019s superhero community.
\n\u201cI believe he acted inappropriately in this instance,\u201d Chris Pollak, aka Dark Guardian, told CBSNewYork.\u00a0 The Dark Guardian was featured in a documentary on real life superheroes, and he was seen rousting alleged drug dealers in Washington Square Park.
\n\u201cHe rushed into a situation and reacted with very poor judgement. He maced a group of people who were not attacking him. He was not acting in self defense and the police have rightfully charged him with assault,\u201d Pollak said.
\nHe added that he hopes Phoenix Jones\u2019 actions don\u2019t reflect on the superhero movement.
\n\u201cThis is an example of what not to do as a community crime-fighter. It should be a priority to deescalate situations and work hand in hand with the police to garner the smartest and safest outcome. I stand with the police and want everyone to know he is not a true reflection on what others like myself do in our communities to help,\u201d Pollak said.
\nReaction on the Intiative\u2019s Facebook page was also intense.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s what happens when you react the way he did,\u201d self-styled hero Short Cut<\/a> wrote. \u201cDespite popular belief, you do not fight fire with fire. You are supposed to cool things down.\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019m pretty sure he just screwed it up for everyone,\u201d wrote Jack Cero, another self-styled hero. \u201cThey now have precedent if his conviction goes through, and what\u2019s more is that his charges will be double due to his body armor and mask.\u201d
\nHowever, fan response on Jones\u2019 Facebook page<\/a> has been pretty massive, with scores of folks leaving messages of support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New York\u2019s burgeoning amateur \u201csuperhero\u201d community take notice: Don\u2019t try breaking up a fight in Seattle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9089,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[690,1840,1841,1843,1901,2026,2041,2338,2394,2547,2548,2856,2894,3017],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16179"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16179\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}