White Detroit Business Owner Spits on Black Man Working Security

 

“If the tables were turned, this would be a massacre,” he said. “‘I wish it hadn’t happened, but let’s be clear: It’s been kind of a hard day. A lot of people are calling me, messaging me. I’ve been dealing with the police. It’s like a … dream. I’m getting a million calls. I’m looking at myself on the news. It’s overwhelming.”

The massive media attention came after the Tuesday morning incident was reported in the Free Press, Metro Times and, ultimately, on television Wednesday.

At about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Mission was working security for The Eastern, the event space that abuts the Detroit Mercantile Co. Stanzler was upset about unauthorized parking on his adjacent property and told Mission to do something about it.

When Mission told him he couldn’t, that it wasn’t his job, Stanzler gave him the finger, then spat in his face, a heinous act that Mission captured on video.

Ironically, it happened outside a gathering of social justice group leaders and filmmakers looking at their missions for possible documentaries.

One witness, Maxyne Franklin, 44, said her group, which co-sponsored the event with partners that included the Freep Film Festival, was already moving the cars, but that Stanzler was undaunted. He took out on Mission his anger with the proprietor of the Eastern, the event space.

“… The business owner is a white gentleman, and I can't imagine Robert would have spat in his face," she said.

Police officers arrived and took Stanzler to the Detroit Detention Center, but because of miscommunications between the arresting officers and Mission, Stanzler was released. Stanzler issued an apology late Wednesday calling his own actions "unconscionable, offensive and disrespectful."

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