In about one hour, the Revolutionary War is about to break out in Boston. This time, the combatants will be hit with less death and more water. A week from now there will be a showdown at high noon and sundown in the center of Allston. Everyone is told to wear their "greens" to identify themselves as part of the gang, before getting soaked and dishing it out too.
The Globe brings us the story on these upcoming squirt gun battles around town. Today's mobbery will be brought to you by the Banditos Misteriosus, one of the bigger local flashmob organizers, and next week is being organized by the Clone Collective, a group of Allston artists.
But just when you thought water guns and water battles were all just fun-and-game frivolity, in stomps the killjoy:
Water guns' ties to real guns troubles Nancy Robinson, director of Citizens for Safety, a Boston gun violence prevention coalition, though her group does not have a formal position on squirt guns.
"They can easily be mistaken for a real gun because it's so prevalent for young people to have guns," Robinson said. "If kids didn't have access to real guns, there'd be no risk of a police officer seeing a squirt gun and thinking it's a real gun."
Yes, you heard it, folks. Your bright green, yellow, purple, and red Super Soaker Monster XL just might get you shot by the cops some day because they thought it was a real gun. Sheesh.
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Comments
She must really hate the Redcoats on the Common, then
By adamg
Sat, 08/16/2008 - 12:56pm
Speaking of which, if you see some bearded guy wandering around the Common with a camera and wearing a Sox cap and a black t-shirt that says "Fearless" on the front and "Editor" on the back, say hi.
Next week
By Kaz
Sat, 08/16/2008 - 2:23pm
If you plan on heading to the Allston battle, I might be going to that one and maybe I'd see you there. Unfortunately, I heard about today's mayhem a little too late to register, but I hope it was fun.
I have to use my CPS 2500 at least once per summer, right? What good is owning the second most powerful stock water gun ever built if you don't fire it at someone occasionally? But don't think I'm unarmed if I exhaust that Howitzer so quickly. I keep an XP 150 with it's 5 pump reload time as a sidearm.
I was at a different battle
By adamg
Sat, 08/16/2008 - 4:23pm
Where they shot off guns and a cannon and people cheered when the first participants dropped to the ground, dead. Photos soon.
Too bad...
By Jiffywoob
Sat, 08/16/2008 - 7:18pm
Kaz, you missed a good time. We had probably between 200- 300 people (I'm horrible at estimating numbers of people). I'll have the video up within a few days. 60 minutes of footage can take time to edit, especially when there were so many points where I, and my camera, got shot at.
But yeah, I made a similar comment about this lady's comments this morning. We actually had some cops swing by, who were laughing at our antics. Should they be fired for their negligence? I mean, according to Ms. Robinson, it should be assumed that hundreds of neon guns squirting water are in fact real guns.
Redonculous.
Where was today's water gun battle?
By Ron Newman
Sat, 08/16/2008 - 10:53pm
Since they kept the location secret, I had no idea where I might go if I wanted to watch it.
It was not secret
By Jiffywoob
Sat, 08/16/2008 - 10:57pm
It was actually pretty well advertised. It was on the Esplanade.
Their website says otherwise
By Kaz
Sat, 08/16/2008 - 11:23pm
From their site:
From the Facebook:
Location: The Battlefields of Boston
From Going.com:
Everywhere Boston, MA
So, unless you were registered, you had no idea where it happened.
Well...
By Jiffywoob
Sun, 08/17/2008 - 11:36am
Yeah, I looked again, and you're right, I guess the specific location wasn't made super clear. The reason for registration was so that we could assign people to teams, and then we e-mail the specific two locations to meet, where they would march for meet up for the fight.
Yep, no biggie
By Kaz
Sun, 08/17/2008 - 4:19pm
Yeah, I learned about it too late to even come out and watch. I know that registration would have been easy enough even if I didn't plan on participating just to learn the location and come and watch or take pics. Not a biggie, I wonder if there's a way to push a text msg out just prior to the event to help drum up a crowd for those that want to watch but not participate. Just thinking out loud.
You're always welcome
By Jiffywoob
Sun, 08/17/2008 - 7:02pm
We have an e-mail list on our website that you can sign up for, so for future events, if you want to join in, to participate or to watch, sign up! The more the merrier. That way, you can get updates on what we have up our sleeves.
The reason, I think, that you found out about the watergun fight the day of was that the Globe held off on publishing their story until the day of.
Just to give you a heads up, we're planning something for October, but since it's still in its nascent phase, I don't want to divulge too much at this point.
Photos of the water-gun fight
By adamg
Sun, 08/17/2008 - 10:05am
Here.
And short video...
By Jiffywoob
Sun, 08/17/2008 - 12:31pm
...here.
For some reason, youtube compressed it much more than they usually do for my videos.
Awesome
By adamg
Sun, 08/17/2008 - 12:42pm
Looks like it was a lot of fun; loved the First Bubble Brigade at the end.
Diorama
By fenwayguy
Sun, 08/17/2008 - 8:44pm
Tom™5 has a really cool panoramic shot of the clash of armies. (Click "All sizes" for the IMAX effect.)
Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson...
By Jiffywoob
Sun, 08/17/2008 - 12:39pm
...because several of your veins are going to pop when you read the last quote, delivered by a 3-year old child, in today's Sunday Globe:
"Let's go shoot people."
The horror! He must be on a direct path to becoming a gangster, right, Mrs. Robinson? He will likely grow up to shoot up a school, or a mall, right, Mrs. Robinson?
It was surprising that the police didn't shoot him, since it must have been unclear whether the toddler was holding a real gun.
More battle photos
By adamg
Mon, 08/18/2008 - 9:42am
Including exclusive shots of the Robots from the Future.