The motel manager, Jimmy Brock, in an effort to break up the party, poured a bottle of muriatic acid into the pool, hoping the swimmers would become scared and leave.
One swimmer, who knew that the ratio of acid to pool water was so great that the acid was no longer a threat, drank some of the pool water to calm the other swimmers’ fears.
It did not scare the swimmers, though it seems like it was effective in making the protesters at least nervous — the amount of acid to the amount of water being so small it was mostly safe—and so a cop jumped in to arrest people.
Ah that’s why. Still a dick move, but definitely not the horror show it is intended to sound like, and not as often as it’s intended to sound, being “once” and all.
An off-duty policeman, Officer Henry Billitz, jumped in—except for his shoes still fully clothed—in an attempt at dragging them out himself; he beat them up as well.
Yeah that’s about what I’d expect.
In 2007, aged 85, Jimmy Brock died at his St. Augustine home.
Well, good news, looks like everyone who threw acid into pools to scare black people 61yr ago is dead! At least there’s that. That whole “policeman” thing otoh…
Hadn’t heard about this one
https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/motel-manager-pouring-acid-water-black-people-swam-pool-1964/
Ah that’s why. Still a dick move, but definitely not the horror show it is intended to sound like, and not as often as it’s intended to sound, being “once” and all.
Yeah that’s about what I’d expect.
Well, good news, looks like everyone who threw acid into pools to scare black people 61yr ago is dead! At least there’s that. That whole “policeman” thing otoh…