The City of New York Police Department (NYPD) responded to reports of a riot in a local neighborhood Saturday, only to find a “rage room” event in progress, the New York Post reported.
The outdoor “rage room” event’s realistic setup prompted a concerned bystander to call the police, according to the New York Post. Law enforcement responded to the site where The Ragery, an amusement venue which charges $5 to smash a car as stress relief, caused convincing chaos, according to the New York Post.
Roman Lupu, owner of The Ragery, said NYPD officers arrived around 2:45 p.m. with sirens flashing after a 911 call reported three men hitting a vehicle, according to the outlet. The call came just an hour into the event, the outlet reported. Participants, wearing matching hard hats, safety glasses, earmuffs and aprons, were reportedly carrying out a controlled demolition of a damaged truck placed on a tarp and secured on a trailer.
Cops called for people destroying car in Lower East Side — only to find it was sanctioned violence https://t.co/VuDC3lDSEW pic.twitter.com/FJ68Go5pKk
— New York Post (@nypost) July 20, 2024
“They were very puzzled. The looks on their faces were super puzzled,” Lupu said, thecNew York Post reported. “They took a while, and they kind of came closer, and I went to talk to them, and said, ‘Hey guys, don’t worry. This is all a plan, it’s just a promotional, kind of fun event for our customers for a new rage room here in the city.” (RELATED: Video Shows NYPD Cops Talking Suicidal Man Off An Overpass)
Despite being advertised on The Ragery’s website and having been rescheduled due to rain, the event seemed to have aurprised both the NYPD and local residents. Lupu launched the business in January 2024 with partner Bogdan Zhukovsky as a unique outlet for New Yorkers’ pent-up aggression, according to the New York Post.
