A day later, Ibrahim Mission is still stunned, still angry, but still composed.
While Mission was providing security Tuesday for a gathering of social justice and community leaders in Eastern Market, Robert Stanzler, owner of the Detroit Mercantile Co. next door, upset that some participants were parking on his property, told Mission to stop them. When Mission told Stanzler to take it up with the building owner, Stanzler jabbed his middle finger in the air and spat on Mission's face.
The heinous act occurred at an event space called The Eastern, which abuts the back of Stanzler's store. The DOC Society, a nonprofit that connects filmmakers to groups whose work might make good documentaries, hosted the event, and one of its founders said she couldn't believe what she'd seen.
"That was outrageously disgusting behavior and completely unnecessary," said Maxyne Franklin, 44, who added that her group was already moving the cars. "Robert didn't use a racial slur. But whatever issues Robert had with the business owner ... and the business owner is a white gentleman, and I can't imagine Robert would have spat in his face."
Police were summoned; two officers responded right away, and four more came later. The alleged assailant was arrested for simple assault, taken to the Detroit Detention Center, and was released Wednesday, said a Detroit Police spokesman. The investigation is continuing, police said.
But ill Weaver, founding director of Detroit Narrative Agency, which was one of the event's local partners, said no charge was enough.
"We've been organizing this event for six months," Weaver said of the "Good Pitch" gathering whose partners include the Freep Film Festival. "So for this man to do this in front of people from around the world when we're trying to get people to support Detroit was horrible. This was an important community event. We really need to boycott his business because that is the way you hold somebody like him accountable."
Owners of The Eastern released a statement Wednesday expressing concern for Mission, who works for them, and their guests, calling Stanzler's actions insulting. "We won't tolerate or condone this kind of behavior," the statement said.
Stanzler himself issued an apology late Wednesday, calling his own actions "unconscionable, offensive and disrespectful."
“I want to express my deepest apology to Mr. Ibrahim Mission, for the incident that occurred on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 during the course of an argument I had with him over parking spaces at my place of business in Eastern Market. I take full responsibility for my actions, and want to convey regret for my gross and despicable behavior during the course of my argument with Mr. Mission.
Stanzler said his "anger over a growing conflict pertaining to parking spaces between a neighboring business, got the best of me. I attempted to address the matter with Mr. Mission, but things quickly escalated and I lashed out. My behavior was unconscionable, offensive and disrespectful. Not only did I offend Mr. Mission by my actions, but I owe an apology to those who witnessed the incident, my staff, fellow business owners in Eastern Market, residents of Detroit; and friends and family who may bare this burden with me."
The confrontation happened about 10:45 a.m. before the event started. Stanzler complained about parking, moved his car to block access, then began shouting at Mission to do something, witnesses said. Mission never lost his cool.
"I grew up in the city of Detroit," said Mission, 29. "My dad actually was a minister and that's when I started doing security. I used to secure my dad when he'd go to different events. Over time, I began doing different security gigs, NAACP dinners, everybody from black, white, Chinese, movie stars, artists, rappers, activists, and I never encountered something like that. I've encountered somebody saying a racial slur, somebody not being too happy with security, but never ran into where an individual, especially a white individual, felt comfortable enough to spit on me."
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Robert Stanzler the proprietor of the Detroit Mercantile Co. in Detroit on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. (Photo: Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press)
Mission said Stanzler wanted him to handle a dispute between his neighbor and him, and he could not. When Stanzler gave him the finger, Mission said he began recording and dared him to do it again. Stanzler did, then spat.
What's worse is Mission and Stanzler know each other.
"I said, 'Wow, Robert. You spit on me?'
"It was very humiliating, very disrespectful...People like this should not be allowed to be in this communty of Detroit and be able to feel they could take such liberties with helpers. I've always been a helper and I've never had any issue like this."
The vile act was among the latest examples of mistreatment of black and minority Americans that appear to be increasing with the rising belief that hate is now acceptable. From #PermitPatty, the woman who called the police on a child selling iced water in front of her apartment building, to #CouponCarl, who called the police on a woman whom an employee claimed had an improper discount slip, hateful incidents are becoming the norm rather than anomalies.
Stanzler didn't call the police, but his was also an act of hate against a black person.
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An exterior view of Robert Stanzler's Detroit Mercantile Co. in Detroit near Eastern Market on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. (Photo: Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press)
Maybe these instances were always the norm, but thanks to cell phones and courage, people are fighting back.
What I can’t figure out is why Stanzler, whom we’ll call #SpittingStanzler, thought spitting in the face of a man just doing his job was a good idea.
What I can’t figure out is how people like Stanzler are being welcomed in Detroit.
Neither can Devita Davison, executive director of FoodLab Detroit. She was at the pitch event to sell filmmakers on helping her agency mount a food justice campaign.
“I can’t tell you how mortified and embarrassed I was,” said Davison, who didn’t see what preceded the spitting incident. “We had visitors from all around the world here to support social justice organizations who are pitching to a room full of media in hopes that the media could provide expertise to get our mission to the forefront. It’s a pitch contest organized by awesome people… Folks were there from social justice organizations all around the world… and all of us are there promoting Detroit – and this happens.
“Everybody was buzzing about how this white man who owns Detroit Mercantile spat on a guy who was just trying to accommodate the guests. It was just embarrassing.”
This is not Stanzler's first time in the news. In 2014, Stanzler was featured in Crain’s Detroit after he split with his former partners Robert Jameson and his wife, Sherri, over creative differences.
I wonder whether it involved spitting in someone’s face when you disagreed with them.
Stanzler expanded Mercantile from 1,000 square feet to 12,500 square feet with event space, according to Crain’s. The store vowed to focus on regional and American antiques and Michigan wares that could not be bought online.
The Mercantile website describes him as “a fourth-generation Detroiter whose great-grandfather migrated here from Poland to work at the Ford Model T assembly plant." He co-created the slogan “Made In Detroit,” and, it says, “His love of the City of Detroit is unequaled."
It also says: “We aren’t really ‘rules’ kind of people but there are few things we should probably get straight with everyone.”
No, Stanzler. There is something we should get straight with you. Yes, you are part of the new migration into Detroit, wealthy, mostly white suburbanites seeking opportunities denied to black residents for years, opportunities they still must fight for now.
But we have some rules, too. Your love of Detroit may be unequaled, as you say, but to love Detroit means to love Detroiters. And your hateful, despicable behavior doesn’t show love for the meaning of, residents of, or definition of the Detroit we’re trying to build.
So why don’t you take your vintage wares and your heinous attitude back where you came from before you decided that a neighborhood so belonged to you that you could spit, literally spit, in the face of someone with whom you disagreed.
I can get my vintage goods at Shinola or The Peacock Room.
Detroit must have a zero-tolerance policy on this kind of hate, and the only thing that appears to be vintage about you is that you might want to bring back something else vintage, behavior that was once allowed with and without hoods.
And we’re not having it.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/co...antile-owner-spits-black-mans-face/795463002/
While Mission was providing security Tuesday for a gathering of social justice and community leaders in Eastern Market, Robert Stanzler, owner of the Detroit Mercantile Co. next door, upset that some participants were parking on his property, told Mission to stop them. When Mission told Stanzler to take it up with the building owner, Stanzler jabbed his middle finger in the air and spat on Mission's face.
The heinous act occurred at an event space called The Eastern, which abuts the back of Stanzler's store. The DOC Society, a nonprofit that connects filmmakers to groups whose work might make good documentaries, hosted the event, and one of its founders said she couldn't believe what she'd seen.
"That was outrageously disgusting behavior and completely unnecessary," said Maxyne Franklin, 44, who added that her group was already moving the cars. "Robert didn't use a racial slur. But whatever issues Robert had with the business owner ... and the business owner is a white gentleman, and I can't imagine Robert would have spat in his face."
Police were summoned; two officers responded right away, and four more came later. The alleged assailant was arrested for simple assault, taken to the Detroit Detention Center, and was released Wednesday, said a Detroit Police spokesman. The investigation is continuing, police said.
But ill Weaver, founding director of Detroit Narrative Agency, which was one of the event's local partners, said no charge was enough.
"We've been organizing this event for six months," Weaver said of the "Good Pitch" gathering whose partners include the Freep Film Festival. "So for this man to do this in front of people from around the world when we're trying to get people to support Detroit was horrible. This was an important community event. We really need to boycott his business because that is the way you hold somebody like him accountable."
Owners of The Eastern released a statement Wednesday expressing concern for Mission, who works for them, and their guests, calling Stanzler's actions insulting. "We won't tolerate or condone this kind of behavior," the statement said.
Stanzler himself issued an apology late Wednesday, calling his own actions "unconscionable, offensive and disrespectful."
“I want to express my deepest apology to Mr. Ibrahim Mission, for the incident that occurred on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 during the course of an argument I had with him over parking spaces at my place of business in Eastern Market. I take full responsibility for my actions, and want to convey regret for my gross and despicable behavior during the course of my argument with Mr. Mission.
Stanzler said his "anger over a growing conflict pertaining to parking spaces between a neighboring business, got the best of me. I attempted to address the matter with Mr. Mission, but things quickly escalated and I lashed out. My behavior was unconscionable, offensive and disrespectful. Not only did I offend Mr. Mission by my actions, but I owe an apology to those who witnessed the incident, my staff, fellow business owners in Eastern Market, residents of Detroit; and friends and family who may bare this burden with me."
The confrontation happened about 10:45 a.m. before the event started. Stanzler complained about parking, moved his car to block access, then began shouting at Mission to do something, witnesses said. Mission never lost his cool.
"I grew up in the city of Detroit," said Mission, 29. "My dad actually was a minister and that's when I started doing security. I used to secure my dad when he'd go to different events. Over time, I began doing different security gigs, NAACP dinners, everybody from black, white, Chinese, movie stars, artists, rappers, activists, and I never encountered something like that. I've encountered somebody saying a racial slur, somebody not being too happy with security, but never ran into where an individual, especially a white individual, felt comfortable enough to spit on me."
Robert Stanzler the proprietor of the Detroit Mercantile Co. in Detroit on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. (Photo: Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press)
Mission said Stanzler wanted him to handle a dispute between his neighbor and him, and he could not. When Stanzler gave him the finger, Mission said he began recording and dared him to do it again. Stanzler did, then spat.
What's worse is Mission and Stanzler know each other.
"I said, 'Wow, Robert. You spit on me?'
"It was very humiliating, very disrespectful...People like this should not be allowed to be in this communty of Detroit and be able to feel they could take such liberties with helpers. I've always been a helper and I've never had any issue like this."
The vile act was among the latest examples of mistreatment of black and minority Americans that appear to be increasing with the rising belief that hate is now acceptable. From #PermitPatty, the woman who called the police on a child selling iced water in front of her apartment building, to #CouponCarl, who called the police on a woman whom an employee claimed had an improper discount slip, hateful incidents are becoming the norm rather than anomalies.
Stanzler didn't call the police, but his was also an act of hate against a black person.
An exterior view of Robert Stanzler's Detroit Mercantile Co. in Detroit near Eastern Market on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. (Photo: Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press)
Maybe these instances were always the norm, but thanks to cell phones and courage, people are fighting back.
What I can’t figure out is why Stanzler, whom we’ll call #SpittingStanzler, thought spitting in the face of a man just doing his job was a good idea.
What I can’t figure out is how people like Stanzler are being welcomed in Detroit.
Neither can Devita Davison, executive director of FoodLab Detroit. She was at the pitch event to sell filmmakers on helping her agency mount a food justice campaign.
“I can’t tell you how mortified and embarrassed I was,” said Davison, who didn’t see what preceded the spitting incident. “We had visitors from all around the world here to support social justice organizations who are pitching to a room full of media in hopes that the media could provide expertise to get our mission to the forefront. It’s a pitch contest organized by awesome people… Folks were there from social justice organizations all around the world… and all of us are there promoting Detroit – and this happens.
“Everybody was buzzing about how this white man who owns Detroit Mercantile spat on a guy who was just trying to accommodate the guests. It was just embarrassing.”
This is not Stanzler's first time in the news. In 2014, Stanzler was featured in Crain’s Detroit after he split with his former partners Robert Jameson and his wife, Sherri, over creative differences.
I wonder whether it involved spitting in someone’s face when you disagreed with them.
Stanzler expanded Mercantile from 1,000 square feet to 12,500 square feet with event space, according to Crain’s. The store vowed to focus on regional and American antiques and Michigan wares that could not be bought online.
The Mercantile website describes him as “a fourth-generation Detroiter whose great-grandfather migrated here from Poland to work at the Ford Model T assembly plant." He co-created the slogan “Made In Detroit,” and, it says, “His love of the City of Detroit is unequaled."
It also says: “We aren’t really ‘rules’ kind of people but there are few things we should probably get straight with everyone.”
No, Stanzler. There is something we should get straight with you. Yes, you are part of the new migration into Detroit, wealthy, mostly white suburbanites seeking opportunities denied to black residents for years, opportunities they still must fight for now.
But we have some rules, too. Your love of Detroit may be unequaled, as you say, but to love Detroit means to love Detroiters. And your hateful, despicable behavior doesn’t show love for the meaning of, residents of, or definition of the Detroit we’re trying to build.
So why don’t you take your vintage wares and your heinous attitude back where you came from before you decided that a neighborhood so belonged to you that you could spit, literally spit, in the face of someone with whom you disagreed.
I can get my vintage goods at Shinola or The Peacock Room.
Detroit must have a zero-tolerance policy on this kind of hate, and the only thing that appears to be vintage about you is that you might want to bring back something else vintage, behavior that was once allowed with and without hoods.
And we’re not having it.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/co...antile-owner-spits-black-mans-face/795463002/
