LUBBOCK, Texas — East Lubbock “Water Wars” is planned for this weekend. After the 2018 “Water Wars” controversy, the event planners want the city to know they just want everyone to have a good and safe time.
“It was just love in our neighborhood,” said Jay Shaw with “Eastside Unity”
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The video recorded last year reached millions of people. It shows a Lubbock Police officer being drenched with water and hit with an object during the water fight.
“Unfortunately, we were blocking traffic. The police came out and they were trying to get it situated,” said Shaw, “Unfortunately, one of the officers got sprayed with water. Which we’re sorry about that, but we’re trying to redeem our name this year.”
Some argued it was disrespect against law enforcement, but people who were there last year disagree.
That’s why, this year, they’re working with the city. They’re inviting Lubbock police, fire, EMS, and city officials to the party in hopes they’ll join in this year without any problems.
Shaw said it’s about uniting Lubbock and what happened last year shouldn’t reflect their neighborhood.
“It was a good unity event,” Shaw said, “We had a lot of deaths and things around the neighborhood last year around that time. We just put it together to, you know, relieve some stress. It played out good, but they only played the bad parts about it. Unfortunately, we’re trying to get our name back.”
“The event was a success, minus the incident,” said Stephen Sanders, an East Lubbock Water Wars Supporter, “We’ve just seen it as an opportunity for it to be a community-wide thing.”
“East side, North side, South side, West side, anybody who wants to get wet. Know if you’re coming out, you’re going to get wet,” said Shaw.
Lubbock Police said they’re aware of the Water War event and said in a statement:
The Lubbock Police Department became aware of a water wars event scheduled for this June, and LPD reached out to the people planning the event. Since April, LPD command staff have been in contact with the organizers to assist with safety concerns such as children playing in the streets and blocking traffic.
Having that open line of communication allows for officers and the organizers to work together toward a fun, family oriented event and to quickly address any safety issues that may occur.
This is common for LPD,and our officers always try to work with people coordinating big events,demonstrations or protests.
The water fight event is on Saturday, June 1st, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the George Woods Park at 599 N. Zenith.