"Intentional" Gas Leak Injures Furry Convention Attendees

[RicoADF]

Even assuming it's an attack, that doesn't make it "literally" terrorism. That's not to say it makes an attack right, but at this point my assumption would be closer to "hate crime." Still not a good thing, still in no way right.

To quote the UK's Terrorism Act 2000:

Spoiler: UK's Terrorism Act 2000

The United Kingdom's Terrorism Act 2000 defined terrorism as follows:
(1) In this Act "terrorism" means the use or threat of action where:
(a) the action falls within subsection (2),
(b) the use or threat is designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public or a section of the public and
(c) the use or threat is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.

Out of the 3 point's I've bolded the one I'm thinking of here, although all 3 are applicable since it's an act intended to scare the section of the population (furries) into hiding/not displaying their err, hobby? That said we're going into semantics, I was referring to the general view of terrorism, that being someone using violence or threats of violence to scare people (usually with the intention of changing them against their will in some form or another). I agree hate crime is also correct.

 

[laggyteabag]

"This group of people does something different to what I do.

Gas them."

I dont understand this logic. Glad that nobody was hurt.

 

[FenrirWulf]

"This group of people does something different to what I do.

Gas them."

I dont understand this logic. Glad that nobody was hurt.

People WERE hurt though. 19 were hospitalized.

While some probably were, the majority of them weren't having Caligula-esque blood orgies in their hotel rooms while a guy in a wolf suit windmills his penis for the delight of the crowd.

Okay, that has to be the greatest description of a furry convention I've ever read.

 

[CharrHearted]

That's just plain nasty. I don't get furries but I don't wish any harm on them. .

Don't worry, this is furry in a nutshell: People who like art and writing or write and draw centered around the theme of just humanistic intelligent animal characters.

Lots of them just happen to be horndogs but when it boils down to it, it's just what I told you, it's like all the bioware fans are all bioware romance sex crazed lunatics, that's not what bioware is, but its what many do who associate with being a bioware fan.

on a on topic note, I hope everyones fine o.o

 

[shintakie10]

Actually, they did. Or well.... tried to...

MSNBC have now.

Oh, I had assumed they would eventually. But at the time of writing my post, they hadn't reported on the story on either of their respective sites.

Want the fun part? ok up how other smaller sites are coverin that steaming pile of crap.

Instead of noticing how utterly fucked up it is that she found a segment about 19 people being hospitalized was so funny she had to leave the set, they're commenting on how utterly hilarious it is that she broke down laughing on camera.

Lots of people labeling it as "Priceless" "Hilarious" "Must watch"

In fact, the only article I've found so far about just how fucked up that segment was ended up being this one.

http://theweek.com/speedreads/index/273282/speedreads-on-monday-morning-joes-mika-brzezinski-learned-what-a-furry-is-on-live-tv

Disgusting is all I can think of.

edit - Found another one! This one is far less nice about how unprofessional the morning joe segment was.

http://theweek.com/speedreads/index/273282/speedreads-on-monday-morning-joes-mika-brzezinski-learned-what-a-furry-is-on-live-tv

 

[Strazdas]

19 people complained of nausea and dizziness and were then transported to local hospitals.

Im more willing to believe those were caused by the panic of evacuation more than the gass themselves since they are consistent with chlorine gas symptoms. If it was actual chlorine gas related injury the reported problem would be pain. a lot of it. so i am assuming noone got hurt, so theres at least that.

 

[Vigormortis]

Want the fun part? ok up how other smaller sites are coverin that steaming pile of crap.

Instead of noticing how utterly fucked up it is that she found a segment about 19 people being hospitalized was so funny she had to leave the set, they're commenting on how utterly hilarious it is that she broke down laughing on camera.

Lots of people labeling it as "Priceless" "Hilarious" "Must watch"

In fact, the only article I've found so far about just how fucked up that segment was ended up being this one.

http://theweek.com/speedreads/index/273282/speedreads-on-monday-morning-joes-mika-brzezinski-learned-what-a-furry-is-on-live-tv

Disgusting is all I can think of.

edit - Found another one! This one is far less nice about how unprofessional the morning joe segment was.

http://theweek.com/speedreads/index/273282/speedreads-on-monday-morning-joes-mika-brzezinski-learned-what-a-furry-is-on-live-tv

Fuck's sake...like I needed ANOTHER reason to be misanthropic today...

The hell's wrong with people? Had this been a different convention these people would be screaming for someone's head on a pike. There'd be constant claims of "terrorism" across all news-media channels and endless interviews with the attendees, their families, and anyone and everyone with a word to say on the matter.

But no. The people involved were dem creepo furry freaks. So naturally the proper response is to lose your shit laughing on national television..

Excuse me. I need a drink. The stiffer, the better.

 

[Elijin]

I wonder if someone/somegroup will claim this as an attack. Furries have been the butt of many jokes and hate on the internet for years now so it's not that hard to think that someone did it intentional.

I wonder why this isn't bigger news, it's awefully close to terrorism but none of the major news outlets mentio anything.

The same reason you barely hear about attacks in middle eastern countries.

The Western news doesnt consider it to be terrorism unless they approve of the group targeted. Its only news if the news corps think you matter in the first place.


And on point:

Trying to hurt people isnt okay.

 

[Something Amyss]

-snip-

Now prove that the Midwest moved to the UK and that you know in any way the attack was intended to intimidate rather than simply to kill.

Then we might have something.

The only thing we know is who was targeted. We do not know why, unless you have some insight you can offer the police. Last I knew, nobody was caught, and no group has been considered.

 

[RicoADF]

-snip-

Now prove that the Midwest moved to the UK and that you know in any way the attack was intended to intimidate rather than simply to kill.

Then we might have something.

The only thing we know is who was targeted. We do not know why, unless you have some insight you can offer the police. Last I knew, nobody was caught, and no group has been considered.

Generally speaking if your trying to kill a group of people you don't like the intention is to scare others from wanting to be apart of the group. I'm making an assumption but its a reasonable one.

 

[Kevlar Eater]

I bet that if something like a feminist rally or convention were attacked in a similar manner, there would be far more outrage and most news media and publications would call this a terrorist attack (yes, I went there). But because furries are an unfortunately acceptable target, they get derision, mockery and no refunds from a hate crime that borderlines terrorism.

When did many of us view others whose hobbies and opinions we disagree with as sub-human? I know it has been going on since the concept of religion, but whatever.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

'Powdered chlorine'? The stuff you put into spas and pools? This is a horrific act, but you'd need a metric fuckton of the stuff to cause long term damage. Couldn't this simply be an accident? I mean what we commonly call 'chlorine powder' is actually calcium hypochlorite.

I used to work in a hotel when going through uni. Had to clean out the pool and spa sheds nearby on a regular basis (other workers would spill it all the time), as well as treat the water on occasion when we had a large intake of guests staying. You literally use a palm full to treat the water in a spa (using a measuring cup, not your bare hands obviously). Sure you feel like shit, and you have to be exact or else you'll give people rashes ... but otherwise it's pretty safe stuff to use.

I don't see how or why you'd use the stuff ... it sounds like someone slipped, dropped a bag/bottle of it and forgot to clean it up. Still a shitty thing to do, but I can't help but think that it may have been an accident.

Or a 5 year old being a dick.

(Edit Not only that, but what floor were they holdng this convention? I mean, if it was deliberate why would you spill the stuff in the stair well? At the very least, if you were transporting enough to qualify as a 'gas attack' they would have had to have gotten video footage of the person, because that's a LOT of pool chlorine.

 

[FPLOON]

I'm more upset that these people are not getting refunds from the hotel... Seriously? No refunds because this was actually an "unforeseen possibly criminal act"? SOMEONE COULD HAVE DIED!!

Fuck, man... Were they going to wait until someone did die from Chlorine gas before saying "Yes, you can have a refund. Sorry for the inconvenience"? Shit...

 

[Valkrex]

(Edit Not only that, but what floor were they holdng this convention? I mean, if it was deliberate why would you spill the stuff in the stair well? At the very least, if you were transporting enough to qualify as a 'gas attack' they would have had to have gotten video footage of the person, because that's a LOT of pool chlorine.

The convention itself (where all of the panels were held) was in the first floor, the floor below ground level, and second floor. Third floor and up was all hotel rooms, but most of them were taken up by convention guests and a lot of people were having parties in their rooms at the time. The powder was confirmed dropped in the stairwell between the ninth and tenth floors. I was at this convention, and the police/hospital/decontamination response was fast, crews were at the hotel within five minutes of the fire alarms going off, but regardless of how much chlorine powder there was it was enough to send nearly 20 people to the hospital, cause the entire hotel to be evacuated, (several hundred, if not a couple thousand of the 4,000+ people attending the convention), and enough to have hazmat teams show up.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

The convention itself (where all of the panels were held) was in the first floor, the floor below ground level, and second floor. Third floor and up was all hotel rooms, but most of them were taken up by convention guests and a lot of people were having parties in their rooms at the time. The powder was confirmed dropped in the stairwell between the ninth and tenth floors. I was at this convention, and the police/hospital/decontamination response was fast, crews were at the hotel within five minutes of the fire alarms going off, but regardless of how much chlorine powder there was it was enough to send nearly 20 people to the hospital, cause the entire hotel to be evacuated, (several hundred, if not a couple thousand of the 4,000+ people attending the convention), and enough to have hazmat teams show up.

Yeah, but the thing is psychology alone could account for those people thinking they are poisoned. I'm Australian, we have a metric fuckton of black, hairy spiders that will fuck you up. Whilst gardening I got bitten by what I SWORE was a baby funnel web. You freak out, and you SWEAR your hand is going numb/shaky/cold/etc. You feel your throat tightening, your mouth feels dry, you decide to go to the hospital as that sensation of cold-shakyness goes straight to your core. So you pull up roots, get to your motobike and trot on over to the hospital. You get in ... nurse looks at you, looks at the bite, laughs in your face and tells you to 'hop it'. When people 'go to the hospital' it can be for any number of reasons.

Put it this way, do you have a problem with apartment laundries? Calcium hypochlorite. Fabric whiteners, everything, bench cleaners, etc. They stock pile this stuff in much less ventilated conditions in far worse, far more claustrophobic environments than a stairwell. Now most apartment laundry rooms make some people feel a little bit queasy. Particular on a Wednesday or Thursday day/night. But you write it off ... but when you've been 'poisoned' deliberately it's a little harder to.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Speaking as both a (minor) furry and a (mostly sane) human being, I find this absolutely deplorable. Innocent people (and not just furries, mind you) could have gotten hurt just because some asshole disliked furries. I hope they find whoever's responsible and throw the book at them. A big, heavy book.

 

[Valkrex]

The convention itself (where all of the panels were held) was in the first floor, the floor below ground level, and second floor. Third floor and up was all hotel rooms, but most of them were taken up by convention guests and a lot of people were having parties in their rooms at the time. The powder was confirmed dropped in the stairwell between the ninth and tenth floors. I was at this convention, and the police/hospital/decontamination response was fast, crews were at the hotel within five minutes of the fire alarms going off, but regardless of how much chlorine powder there was it was enough to send nearly 20 people to the hospital, cause the entire hotel to be evacuated, (several hundred, if not a couple thousand of the 4,000+ people attending the convention), and enough to have hazmat teams show up.

Yeah, but the thing is psychology alone could account for those people thinking they are poisoned. I'm Australian, we have a metric fuckton of black, hairy spiders that will fuck you up. Whilst gardening I got bitten by what I SWORE was a baby funnel web. You freak out, and you SWEAR your hand is going numb/shaky/cold/etc. You feel your throat tightening, your mouth feels dry, you decide to go to the hospital as that sensation of cold-shakyness goes straight to your core. So you pull up roots, get to your motobike and trot on over to the hospital. You get in ... nurse looks at you, looks at the bite, laughs in your face and tells you to 'hop it'. When people 'go to the hospital' it can be for any number of reasons.

Put it this way, do you have a problem with apartment laundries? Calcium hypochlorite. Fabric whiteners, everything, bench cleaners, etc. They stock pile this stuff in much less ventilated conditions in far worse, far more claustrophobic environments than a stairwell. Now most apartment laundry rooms make some people feel a little bit queasy. Particular on a Wednesday or Thursday day/night. But you write it off ... but when you've been 'poisoned' deliberately it's a little harder to.

I understand freaking out and thinking something was worse that it was, but the thing is I was THERE. I saw people being pulled out on stretchers. I saw decontamination vehicles pull up. I saw ambulances pulling in, picking people up and leaving with people in them.

The OFFICIAL report from the convention even states that police determined this was a criminal act and are investigating it as such. I understand skepticism here, but you're making light of something that could have resulted in serious harm when people were rushed to the hospital, and there were even reports of people coughing up blood for crying out loud.

http://furfest.org/index.html

http://www.furfest.org/Evacuation_Statement

http://i.imgur.com/gHkM3sc.png

http://www.reddit.com/r/furry/comments/2opo1f/i_was_on_the_ninth_floor_of_the_hyatt_at_mwff/ (not my account, I was on the first floor when this all happened and saw the vehicles pulling in from outside the hotel after the evacuation started)


http://www.reddit.com/r/furry/comments/2ojyg2/mwff_2014_gas_leak_news_roundup/


Given that the police investigation has determined this a criminal action, coupled with the stupidity of humanity and the amount of hatred this fandom gets it is entirely believable that this was an intentional act. I also really don't appreciate the insinuation that all of the people hospitalized were just panicking or that it was just an accident. I can only be happy it was chlorine powder and not chlorine gas or its very likely that deaths would have happened instead of what did.

In the end no one was hurt, thank god, but when hazmat crews show up, people are hospitalized (NOT just visiting a hospital and being instantly checked out, but ADMITTED to the hospital for treatment) and police declare it a criminal action, one can only assume it was an intentional attack.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

I understand freaking out and thinking something was worse that it was, but the thing is I was THERE. I saw people being pulled out on stretchers. I saw decontamination vehicles pull up. I saw ambulances pulling in, picking people up and leaving with people in them.

The OFFICIAL report from the convention even states that police determined this was a criminal act and are investigating it as such. I understand skepticism here, but you're making light of something that could have resulted in serious harm when people were rushed to the hospital, and there were even reports of people coughing up blood for crying out loud.

http://furfest.org/index.html

http://www.furfest.org/Evacuation_Statement

http://i.imgur.com/gHkM3sc.png

http://www.reddit.com/r/furry/comments/2opo1f/i_was_on_the_ninth_floor_of_the_hyatt_at_mwff/ (not my account, I was on the first floor when this all happened and saw the vehicles pulling in from outside the hotel after the evacuation started)


http://www.reddit.com/r/furry/comments/2ojyg2/mwff_2014_gas_leak_news_roundup/


Given that the police investigation has determined this a criminal action, coupled with the stupidity of humanity and the amount of hatred this fandom gets it is entirely believable that this was an intentional act. I also really don't appreciate the insinuation that all of the people hospitalized were just panicking or that it was just an accident. I can only be happy it was chlorine powder and not chlorine gas or its very likely that deaths would have happened instead of what did.

In the end no one was hurt, thank god, but when hazmat crews show up, people are hospitalized (NOT just visiting a hospital and being instantly checked out, but ADMITTED to the hospital for treatment) and police declare it a criminal action, one can only assume it was an intentional attack.

The reason why is because if there is signs of deliberate attempted poisoning, you keep people for observation because there is no quarantee the criminal didn't do other things like contaminate other locations with potential aerosols. What I'm getting at is people have likely prejudged whoever has been responsible, despite the fact that anybody who did any basic research wouldn't use chlorine powder products for a gas attack without further treatment. It could have been just as easily someone who dropped a bag of it and decided not to clean it up themselves but wait until the janitor got around to it later.

It might not have been malicious at all given that the chemical would be bought by the hotel. It could very well be someone didn't realize people might get queasy from it while mixing cleansers because of a particularly bad mold growth on the ceiling of a room (I'm guilty of this ... I did stupid stuff when trying to clean a room of a particularly filthy long stay guest when the base products simply would not work). It's criminal because it is, you don't leave improperly stored or spilt hazardous substances where they can affect the health and wellbeing of the public.

But you would need to eat ... EAT ... 60 grams of calcium hypochlorite to maybe kill someone of average size and build. Actual oral consumption. But the thing is that pool cleaners and chlorine powder typically use only 60-70% Calcium hypochlorite mixed in with antiscaling agents and the like to make it suitable for pools and spas, floors, benches, washing machines, etc.

The more people blow this up as 'terrorism' and other stuff just makes the actual culprit, who could for all potentiality be culpable for criminal negligence only, less likely to come forward and say "my bad, I honestly didn't know this was going to happen." From all the articles you have shown me (one was a dead link, just to let you know) all it says was a container of chlorine products.

Long term exposure to things like calcium hypochlorite make you feel like shit, as I said in my first post. But given that there is NO EVIDENCE to suggest that this was anything more than gross negligence on behalf of a Hyatt worker, or some of contracted firm worker. Of course Hyatt is going to say that this was external criminal activity and therefore will not be refunding given they are a victim of the same crime. Because if they did admit one of their workers potentially fucked up, how do you think that would look on National tv?

As I said ... this could just be gross negligence and blowing it up into 'terrorism' is downright kneejerk. The sources does not suggest this. (Edit And you know what, I could be wrong. I could be downright wrong. But from what you have shown me, I can actually imagine for myself situations where this may all have been really bad judgement of chemical use as opposed to an actual malicious attack.

Way too many things don't make sense if this was planned.

 

[Valkrex]

snip

Hyatt never said anything, it was the POLICE who declared it an INTENTIONAL criminal act, as stated in the links provided. This hotel doesn't even have a pool. And the decontamination teams were in there for nearly three hours cleaning this up, AND checking for other sources of contamination.

I do NOT believe for a second this was negligence, and based on everything I have read (in those links provided, and the links that those links link to... my god that sounds odd) coupled with the fact the POLICE are calling this a criminal act, leads me to believe this was intentional. Obviously not the most well thought out plan, but one that still sent 19 people to the hospital. That and they found a shattered glass jar along with the powder in the stairwell. A GLASS jar, you don't transport these kind of chemicals in GLASS. That's just ASKING for an accident to happen.

http://www.arlingtoncardinal.com/2014/12/glass-jar-with-white-substance-strong-chlorine-smell-causes-firefighter-ems-hazmat-response-evacuation-at-hyatt-regency-rosemont/

If it was an employee transporting this (along with other cleaning supplies) they would take a staff elevator instead of the stairs. All of this coupled with the fact that EVERY article I can find on this also states what I have said about the police declaring this an intentional criminal action, leads me to believe it was intentional.

I WANT to think this was just a fluke, but no matter how much I dig on this I can't find anything credible trying to claim that. It IS possible that it was not directed at furries or the convention, but had some other motive instead.

Also, if it was an employee, the hotel would have said something. They would have told us by now, and they would have refunded hotel goers for their night at the hotel for the negligence of an employee as it would have been Hyatt's fault instead of someone acting on their own. They probably would have then fired said employee, and done as much ass kissing as they could to avoid a class-action lawsuit. Seeing as NONE of that happened, I cannot believe it was the hotel or someone working at the hotel.