# Assault with a deadly bubble **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 16, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362 "2010-10-16T17:29:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gustav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Gustav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gustav)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/21 "2010-10-17T11:27:34Z")
I’m thinking a guy who arrests people over soap bubbles is probably batting a significantly higher than average arrest rate. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/22 "2010-10-17T16:37:29Z")
> [@Gustav](#): > > I’m thinking a guy who arrests people over soap bubbles is probably batting a significantly higher than average arrest rate. And I’d wonder how many of those arrests are bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/23 "2010-10-18T08:45:48Z")
This cop sounds like a piece of work. But I’d really like to know what was the deal with the bubbles? Why was that girl blowing bubbles in the first place? She doesn’t appear to be six years old. ---
**Author:** ![ColdPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@ColdPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColdPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/24 "2010-10-18T09:32:44Z")
> [@OneChance](#): > > This cop sounds like a piece of work. But I’d really like to know what was the deal with the bubbles? Why was that girl blowing bubbles in the first place? She doesn’t appear to be six years old. I reckon there’s a decent chance she was doing it to annoy cops. It is vaguely annoying to have someone standing there and just blowing bubbles at you. Of course, as a professional he should have just ignored it as it wasn’t doing any harm. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/25 "2010-10-18T09:57:27Z")
> [@OneChance](#): > > This cop sounds like a piece of work. But I’d really like to know what was the deal with the bubbles? Why was that girl blowing bubbles in the first place? She doesn’t appear to be six years old. Blowing bubbles was, and seems to still be, a popular activity for anti-war and “anti-imperialist” protesters. Indeed, it was a common site at rallies against the war in Vietnam in the '60’s. As the epitome of a harmless, non-violent, peaceful activity, bubble blowing is the complete opposite of war (especially an ‘unjustified’ one). It also makes for a nice contrast between the agents of “imperialism” and the protesters - police and/or National Guardsmen carrying truncheons and rifles versus a young girl with flowers in her hair and a bubble wand in her hand. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/26 "2010-10-18T12:47:59Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > “I collect human garbage”. So, says Officer Bubble when summarizing his job as a police officer. In fact, I’d venture to say that arresting hard core, “garbage” criminals is only a small component of a modern cop’s job description. In any case, that he chooses to emphasize that (minor) aspect of his role by using such a dehumanizing label, speaks volumes about his approach to being a cop. It may also say volumes about his experiences as a cop. Not defending this bozo, but I doubt many cops start working with the approach that they’re on the job to “collect human garbage”. It’s an attitude developed after long exposure to people who do sleazy things and try to lie and evade their way out of it. Trying to select officers on the basis of finding those who won’t develop attitudes as hardened as Officer Bubble (and who have a slightly better approach to public relations) must be a difficult task. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/27 "2010-10-18T13:07:05Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > It may also say volumes about his experiences as a cop. > > Not defending this bozo, but I doubt many cops start working with the approach that they’re on the job to “collect human garbage”. It’s an attitude developed after long exposure to people who do sleazy things and try to lie and evade their way out of it. That’s what I thought until I taught in a law and security program. There were quite a few bent kids in that program. In fact, the only time I have ever been assaulted by a student was by a student in that program (he didn’t attend any classes, didn’t hand in any assignments, and didn’t write any tests, so once he received a 0, he showed up at my office and launched himself over my desk at me). The general attitude the students’ was us (wanna be cops) v. them (bad people). Fortunately, extremely few ever made it into police departments. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/28 "2010-10-19T11:23:34Z")
Today, the Toronto star revealed [one of the truly unsettling, harassing, vilifying, calumniating statements made against Officer Bubbles](http://www.thestar.com/news/torontog20summit/article/877471--hamilton-man-stands-up-to-officer-bubbles-over-comments?bn=1). I think you’ll agree that such a malicious accusation most surely provides legitimate and understandable grounds for the aggrieved constable’s law suit. Here it is. But brace yourself - these are rough words; you may find them upsetting or be disturbed by their implication. You have been warned! > [@one of Officer Bubble's threatening](#): > > “Officer bubbles probably looks at himself in the mirror a lot” I kid you not. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/29 "2010-10-19T17:39:04Z")
Still wondering if someone will defend him. In the past when reading ridiculous cop actions, I assume that this time, no one will be able to come up with anything to possibly justify it, and I’ve always been wrong. Will it be, “Well, soap sometimes is dangerous!” or “When an officer TELLS YOU to do something, YOU OBEY.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/30 "2010-10-19T17:50:53Z")
There could have been anthrax mixed into the soap? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/31 "2010-10-19T21:24:05Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > “When an officer TELLS YOU to do something, YOU OBEY.” You always have the choice of not doing what you are told and getting arrested. Bitch got what she deserved. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/32 "2010-10-19T21:27:19Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > There could have been anthrax mixed into the soap? Worse than that, Hydroxylic acid ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/33 "2010-10-19T21:43:52Z")
I do wish the time leading to the arrest hadn’t been cut out. Even if there was nothing there, it just looks like something’s being hidden when there are gaps. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/34 "2010-10-19T22:11:45Z")
What kind of pansy-ass country is Canada? That video is pathetic. Where’s the police brutality? Where’s the rioting? I didn’t see a single baton or malotov cocktail. I thought the cop and protestor were going to sit down and have a cup of tea. You wusses need to start overturning cars and throwing tear gas like normal people. Pussies. Christ jesus, they didn’t even _curse_. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/35 "2010-10-19T23:25:42Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > What kind of pansy-ass country is Canada? That video is pathetic. Where’s the police brutality? Where’s the rioting? I didn’t see a single baton or malotov cocktail. I thought the cop and protestor were going to sit down and have a cup of tea. You wusses need to start overturning cars and throwing tear gas like normal people. > > Pussies. > > Christ jesus, they didn’t even _curse_. [Here you go](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32OW6cu4Ypk). Us Canadians will expect an apology. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/36 "2010-10-20T01:47:46Z")
> [@ColdPhoenix](#): > > I reckon there’s a decent chance she was doing it to annoy cops. It is vaguely annoying to have someone standing there and just blowing bubbles at you. > > Of course, as a professional he should have just ignored it as it wasn’t doing any harm. Blowing bubbles “at you”. You can aim them . The whole idea is it is harmless and impossible to take affront at. ---
**Author:** ![Redpill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Redpill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redpill)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/37 "2010-10-20T02:12:41Z")
He shouldn’t have ordered her to stop blowing bubbles. After he already gave such a ridiculous order, the things were already out of his hands. He had to arrest her for her willful disobedience. (Not the bubbles) She was just playing for the camera and was provoking him and calling his bluff. She made her point. People get imprisoned for false charges, trumped up charges, skin color etc all the time. This is no big deal really, except for the bubbles who lost their lives. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/38 "2010-10-20T04:18:05Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > It may also say volumes about his experiences as a cop. > > Not defending this bozo, but I doubt many cops start working with the approach that they’re on the job to “collect human garbage”. It’s an attitude developed after long exposure to people who do sleazy things and try to lie and evade their way out of it. > > Trying to select officers on the basis of finding those who won’t develop attitudes as hardened as Officer Bubble (and who have a slightly better approach to public relations) must be a difficult task. That’s nice, so why doesn’t this hard ass go after some real bad guys instead? ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/39 "2010-10-20T04:35:20Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > [In this now well known encounter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGMTm3QRwEc&feature=player_embedded), Constable A. Josephs, aka “Officer Bubbles”, acts like a sociopathic prick when talking to a G20 Summit protester in Toronto in late June\*. Unlike the policewoman beside him who takes things in stride and tries to keep the situation from escalating (indeed, another video showed her, moments before, joking around with the young protesters), Officer Bubbles threatens to arrest to young woman who’s blowing bubbles. “If that bubble touches me, you’re going into custody!”, he hisses, then adds, “It’s a detergent” (and presumably, therefore, a threat to his person). Yeah, the same detergent we give to three and four year olds to keep them occupied. Gimme a break. Number 1: He didn’t “hiss” it. Number 2: It sounds like he said since it was detergent, and could possibly get in the eyes of the un-sunglassed officer next to him and interfere with her vision, he’d consider it an attempt at assault. Number 3: You know the girl was doing it to be a douche. Number 4: He totally over-reacted. But having to spend all day in the hot sun facing immature protestors can make even nice people cranky. ---
**Author:** ![ColdPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@ColdPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColdPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2010, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362/40 "2010-10-20T07:37:57Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Blowing bubbles “at you”. You can aim them . The whole idea is it is harmless and impossible to take affront at. Yeah, taking into account wind, you can have quite a bit of control over where bubbles end up going over a short distance. It is harmless but some people would find it annoying to have bubbles being blown at them on a long, hot day. And it’s obviously not impossible to take affront at (see Officer Bubbles). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assault-with-a-deadly-bubble/557362.md?page=3)