An Instagram post inviting people to “settle their beefs” in downtown Detroit Wednesday night led to a massive police presence, with police detaining 40 people and breaking up a crowd of 1,000.
Police say the phrase “settle their beefs” is code for fighting, and it is what the teens allegedly gathered to do around Campus Martius Park.
“Other people I talked to said it means to set the record straight,” WWJ’s Charlie Langton reported. “But, either way…there were some reports of fights that did occur.”
Detroit police said that there were only a few fights and that most of the teens were loitering and meeting up with friends, using very little social distancing methods. Not many of the teens also wore masks, according to videos and photos at the scene. No serious injuries were reported at the scene.
A total of 40 teens were detained, ticketed, and then released to the custody of their parents, WWJ reported.
There is a 10 p.m. curfew in effect that the Detroit police plan to enforce.
Police did not say why there were so many people detained.
“Kids are out and about, don’t want to be quarantined anymore.” one officer told Fox 2 Detroit.
The investigation, including what prompted the Instagram post, is ongoing.