Artist Joan Marie Kowal has criticized the behavior of demonstrators at her memorial to dog attack victims, constructed on Calder Plaza. Pit bulls are among the dogs that killed the victims featured in the exhibit, and some pit-bull owners have demonstrated in front of the entry with their dogs.
Pit bull critics have circulated photos of the protest via social media. And some have targeted the actions of a Kent County animal control officer who was one of the people who took her pit bull to Calder Plaza. Critics claim the pro-pit bull group intimidated art viewers and defaced Kowal’s entry.
But there is “no evidence of wrongdoing or violation of employee policy,” county spokeswoman Lisa LaPlante said in a prepared statement.
I disagree. Officers are held to a higher standard and most law enforcement agencies have general orders regarding their "conduct while off-duty" and warning of behavior which would bring disrepute to the agency.
 |
| Craven Desires has the officer listed as Rachel Jensen |
 |
| Would you brandish a gun in the midst of a memorial for victims whose family members had died from gun violence? |
“We have an immense amount of sympathy for the family members of those injured or killed in dog attacks, as Kent County Animal Control officers are often the first to respond to dog attacks,” the statement reads. “Recently, an employee of the Kent County Animal Control was at the entry called ‘Out of the Blue,’ located on Calder Plaza, a public location in the city of Grand Rapids.
“Allegations that the display was blocked and/or defaced have been made via social media. We have contacted the Grand Rapids Police, who tell us no police reports were filed and no citations were given to the employee. No evidence of wrongdoing or violation of employee policy have been recorded. This employee was on her own personal time, as a member of the general public, near an artwork entered in an international competition.”
Kowal’s ArtPrize entry features more than 30 crosses memorializing dog-related fatalities, including some involving pit bulls. The crosses and photos of the dead are in the lawn on the south side of the plaza. Demonstrators have sat with pit bulls on the ledge in front of the entry.
 |
| How are you expected to see the exhibit? Answer: You're not. They don't want you to see it. |
In emails to MLive and The Grand Rapids Press, Kowal said "visitors can't even see the art and many have told me the bully breed owners, sitting on the ledges blocking the view of the victims’ biographies and refusing to move, makes them unable to enjoy the piece."
 |
| Craven Desires' Facebook page has more photos |
Grand Rapids Police Lt. Pat Dean said Kowal did file a complaint on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 27, about people sitting with pit bulls next to her ArtPrize entry. Police found nothing illegal at that time, he said.
“A couple of our officers went down there and they spoke with the party that had the dogs and they eventually agreed to move away so people could view the exhibit,” Dean said. “They reluctantly moved.”
Kowal said she plans to put up three more crosses this weekend in remembrance of three other people who died from injuries caused by pit bull attacks.
“That is not my fault that they were all killed by pit bulls," she said. "I’m just showing the facts. I’m just trying to make crosses and put 'em up.”
(MLive - October 3, 2014)
Earlier:
Imagine a school shooting victim's memorial blocked by gun totting NRA members. That would make national headlines. This heartless demonstration should have been on the front page of Time, Newsweek, and the like, for it exemplifies the callous lack of sympathy and concern for dog attack victims. These people have no shame.
ReplyDelete