Halloween Bash Gets Scary In Madison
Angry Mayor Says 'Stay Away' After Police Arrest Nearly 500 Weekend Revelers
Posted: 10:38 am CST October 31, 2004Updated: 9:43 am CST November 1, 2004
MADISON, Wis. -- Police in riot gear used pepper spray to clear Halloween revelers from downtown Madison after some in the crowd started a fire early Sunday. This is the third year in a row the party got violent.
By 4 a.m. Sunday, most people had left the city's State Street area after police used pepper spray. About 20 people were treated for exposure, but police reported no significant injuries. Police said they arrested 250 people Saturday night and Sunday morning, mostly for city ordinance violations. Eighty-two people were out-of-state residents, police said. A total of 445 people were arrested Friday through Sunday, News 3 reported. About 50 of the arrests were Minnesota residents. Police reported some property damage, such as some broken or cracked windows. A restaurant near State and Johnson streets had a window broken. Also, in the 500 and 600 blocks of State Street, two businesses had either broken or cracked storefront windows, police said.The University Bookstore in the 700 block of State Street reported some property damage.Some revelers started a fire at about 1:30 a.m. in the 500 block of State Street near the University Inn. Police estimated the crowd involved there to be about 5,000.
One Madison police officer and one Wisconsin state trooper suffered injuries. The trooper apparently suffered a heart attack, police said.Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said police did an excellent job of handling the "melee."“The situation would have been far worse had it not been for the preparation and rapid response of Chief Noble Wray, other law enforcement agencies and the officers on the street,” Cieslewicz said.Cieslewicz said he spent more than eight hours on State Street late Saturday and early Sunday at the police command post, leaving at about 5 a.m. Sunday after walking the length of State Street.“I watched the officers and the command team in action and I strongly support their strategic decisions,” he said. ( Read Full Mayor Statement )
He also blamed Maxim magazine and Sports Illustrated for promoting the event as a reason to riot.As for the use of pepper spray, Police Chief Noble Wray said it was the right thing to do."I can appreciate how bystanders may see this because it was really congested in that 500 block, and in the center was where we had the fights, the mosh pit-type behavior taking place, the body slamming the throwing of bodies, the throwing of debris," Wray said."We have to ask ourselves at this juncture, is this the way that we're going to end this event from this point forward, with pepper spray?" Wray said.City officials said they will have more meetings to determine early how to handle next year."Halloween on State Street is obviously not going away," said downtown alderman Mike Verveer.In 2002, police used pepper spray to stop a riot during the Halloween party. Last year, revelers smashed windows and flipped two cars, causing about $100,000 of damage.Cieslewicz said he wants people to stay away next year."I have had enough of placing our police officers and firefighters in danger," Cieslewicz said."I have had enough of the black eye these disturbances give to the reputation of our city. I want to send a very clear message to everyone who came to Madison to cause trouble this weekend: Stay away next year."
Student's Video Shows Police Force On Halloween
By 4 a.m. Sunday, most people had left the city's State Street area after police used pepper spray. About 20 people were treated for exposure, but police reported no significant injuries. Police said they arrested 250 people Saturday night and Sunday morning, mostly for city ordinance violations. Eighty-two people were out-of-state residents, police said. A total of 445 people were arrested Friday through Sunday, News 3 reported. About 50 of the arrests were Minnesota residents. Police reported some property damage, such as some broken or cracked windows. A restaurant near State and Johnson streets had a window broken. Also, in the 500 and 600 blocks of State Street, two businesses had either broken or cracked storefront windows, police said.The University Bookstore in the 700 block of State Street reported some property damage.Some revelers started a fire at about 1:30 a.m. in the 500 block of State Street near the University Inn. Police estimated the crowd involved there to be about 5,000.One Madison police officer and one Wisconsin state trooper suffered injuries. The trooper apparently suffered a heart attack, police said.Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said police did an excellent job of handling the "melee."“The situation would have been far worse had it not been for the preparation and rapid response of Chief Noble Wray, other law enforcement agencies and the officers on the street,” Cieslewicz said.Cieslewicz said he spent more than eight hours on State Street late Saturday and early Sunday at the police command post, leaving at about 5 a.m. Sunday after walking the length of State Street.“I watched the officers and the command team in action and I strongly support their strategic decisions,” he said. ( Read Full Mayor Statement )Madison Mayor: Party's Over
The chaos prompted city officials to call a press conference Sunday afternonn, where mayor Dave Cieslewicz encouraged Halloween plans be shut down next year.He also blamed Maxim magazine and Sports Illustrated for promoting the event as a reason to riot.As for the use of pepper spray, Police Chief Noble Wray said it was the right thing to do."I can appreciate how bystanders may see this because it was really congested in that 500 block, and in the center was where we had the fights, the mosh pit-type behavior taking place, the body slamming the throwing of bodies, the throwing of debris," Wray said."We have to ask ourselves at this juncture, is this the way that we're going to end this event from this point forward, with pepper spray?" Wray said.City officials said they will have more meetings to determine early how to handle next year."Halloween on State Street is obviously not going away," said downtown alderman Mike Verveer.In 2002, police used pepper spray to stop a riot during the Halloween party. Last year, revelers smashed windows and flipped two cars, causing about $100,000 of damage.Cieslewicz said he wants people to stay away next year."I have had enough of placing our police officers and firefighters in danger," Cieslewicz said."I have had enough of the black eye these disturbances give to the reputation of our city. I want to send a very clear message to everyone who came to Madison to cause trouble this weekend: Stay away next year."Copyright 2005 by Channel 3000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
