  Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 2199 Registered: 09-2006 |
EAST LANSING -- East Lansing Police Chief Tom Wibert said there was no getting around the use of tear gas early this morning to control a violent crowd at the Cedar Village apartments. Police are calling the violence that erupted at Cedar Fest overnight a riot, and Wibert said suspects involved in the riot could face expulsion, prison time and fines. Between 3,000 and 4,000 revelers attended the event, according to police estimates. There were 52 arrests made, with arraignments likely Monday. There were also 48 tickets issued. A total of 80 officers responded to the scene, according to a release from the City of East Lansing. The agencies involved included the East Lansing, Michigan State University, Lansing and Michigan State police departments, as well as the Ingham County Sheriff's Office. "I don't know what we could have done different to avoid it. When 4,000 people suddenly decide that they want to take the streets, it's pretty hard for 50 police officers to stop them," he said during a news conference at East Lansing City Hall this morning. Of those arrested, 28 were MSU students. About half the tickets also went to students. "A few individuals are responsible for what occurred last night and we will hold them accountable," Wibert said in a release. "To paint their actions with a broad brush covering all MSU students is wrong. We know that a large percentage of the crowd had no affiliation with the university.” The scene at Cedar Village apartments this morning was quiet. The lawns on River Street were littered with beer cans, chip bags and empty cases of beer. Police occasionally cruised through the area as 20 or so students made their way quietly to and from businesses such as McDonald's for breakfast. The area still smelled like beer. "It's rank," said Dave Schwanky, 20, an MSU junior. He said that he and his friends had gone to McDonald's and were walking around. "We wanted to see the aftermath." He recalled that around 9 p.m. things started to heat up down in the Cedar Village area. "Someone got an MIP (minor in possession) or something, some sort of ticket and then all of a sudden thousands were in the street," Schwanky said. He left at 1 a.m., after students had begun throwing things and two dumpsters were lit on fire. "You could tell where it was going to end and I didn't want to be around for it." Police agreed it was a peaceful gathering for much of the evening, but it began to turn ugly shortly after 1 a.m. Some students said it appeared that party-goers wanted to be gassed. "'We want tear gas! 'We want tear gas'" Ashley Pixley , 21,recalled people chanting. Pixley, a Lansing Community College student, lives on campus with her fiance. "People were more excited about being a part of something," said her fiance, Kraig Foreman, 21, an MSU student. Police fired off several rounds of tear gas after the crowd turned violent. Dozens of arrests were made as police broke up fights and detained girls who flashed their breasts. Toward 2 a.m., the officers who entered the mob found themselves dodging an increasingly more frequent barrage of glass, cans and beer. "The officers can't do their job because they're being assaulted," Wibert said shortly before 2 a.m. At 2:07, despite the fact that his officers had been chased east on Waters Edge Drive by a now-riotous mob yelling obscenities, Wibert remained optimistic. “We’re going to solve this without a drop of tear gas," he said. Minutes later, Wibert was proved wrong. The warning to disperse, broadcast by a loudspeaker in the back of a truck, only caused a few to leave. The “flash bang” grenades, which flash, make a loud bang and emit a billowing cloud of smoke, didn’t work either. The order for tear gas was given shortly thereafter. As he stood at a police line on Bogue Street, choking back tears from the gas, Wibert simply said, “Well, we tried. “The hardcore ones wanted to be tear-gassed, that’s what it is,” he said. “Our guys were just taking too many bottles.” The East Lansing City Council banned Cedar Fest in 1987 after several years of disruptive parties. In 1986, 4,000 attendees caused $24,000 in damage at a fall party. There were 85 arrests and citations at that celebration, and 33 people were injured, including five police officers. Minutes after the tear gas was launched, 19-year-old Marc Mens wiped the tears from his eyes. Gas stung his face, the inside of his nose and down his throat. "This is the worst day of my life," he said. Mens said the party was going fine, until "tons of drunk kids that had a little too much to drink" got too rambunctious. Meredith Gruszka walked in front of the Taco Bell on Grand River Avenue. It was now 3 a.m., and blood was caked to her bruised right forearm. The 20-year-old said she suspects one of the flash bang grenades hit her, though she wasn't sure. She heard the announcements by police declaring the gathering an "unlawful assembly," and that's when, she said, she started walking away. She heard explosions -- “the flash bangs” -- and started running. She couldn't outrun the gas. Students who attended the party were divided on whether the use of force was necessary. Tricia Krumpholz said the use of tear gas was excessive because "people that were just standing there got tear-gassed." Others said the police response was fine, adding that police shouldn't have to duck flying beer bottles as a matter of course. "I'd say the police were very effective," said Shawn Stewart, 20. "They didn't use over force." "If everyone would just chill and not throw things and start fights," Gruszka agreed, "then nothing would have happened, the cops wouldn't have had to do anything." Even with the riot and all the gas at Cedar Fest 2008, Gruszka said she expects a Cedar Fest 2009. "We knew going in that we were going to get gassed," she said. "I think people would put up with this stuff every day if we could." http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20080406/NEW S06/80406024 All of this AND I WASN'T EVEN THERE!••• | ||
Club_boss Member Username: Club_boss Post Number: 373 Registered: 12-2006 |
Sounds like an Ann Arbor party. | ||
Sparty06 Member Username: Sparty06 Post Number: 73 Registered: 03-2007 |
I graduated from Michigan State in the last decade and while I don't know anything about what happened last night I can say that East Lansing has major student/police and student/city relationship problems. While I was there my impression was that East Lansing Police were downright abusive of the student body and the East Lansing City Council just viewed the students as a source of money and didn't really understand that "students will be students." Now, this doesn't take away from anything negative that was done last night but my guess is that will the final numbers come up a significant if not majority of the arrests and other problems will be non-MSU students. At every big event like this MSU just got flooded by non-students and people from other colleges and community colleges around the state. These students were mostly the ones causing problems as they had no vested interest in the community. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 2966 Registered: 04-2006 |
The area still smelled like beer. When does East Lansing not smell like beer? | ||
Schulzte1 Member Username: Schulzte1 Post Number: 102 Registered: 01-2007 |
I lived in the Cedar Village area in East Lansing for about five years. There is a great deal of animosity between the students and the city, particularly the police. The police in East Lansing have a gestapo attitude every time there are more than 10 young people standing outside in a group drinking beer. Back in '05 when MSU made the Final Four, I watched the police completely instigate that situation. Usually one foolish young person in the crowd will throw one beer bottle, the police will declare it an "unlawful gathering" and unleash the tear gas. Don't let the media fool you, these rowdy situations in East Lansing are exacerbated by the heavy-handed ELPD. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4570 Registered: 02-2005 |
As much as people complain about the heavy hand of AAPD and UMPD, ELPD puts them to shame. They have no qualms about harming students, when the the situation would resolve itself best if they [the police] just walked away. Having said that, WTF? Thousands took to the street because of an MIP ticket? Are you kidding me? There has to be another reason, but I'm having a tough time conjuring something up since MSU was ousted from the basketball tourney last weekend. I wish I was there so that I could have seen if it was simply a party spilling into a street that the cops freaked out about, or if the crowd actually got rambunctious on account of a certain event. The local fast food joints seem to play a key role in that freep story...perhaps Taco Bell ran out of quesadillas? | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2962 Registered: 01-2005 |
From what I read, the responding police didn't kick ass on those punks enough. Kiddies with beer trying to be grown-up. Just don't work. | ||
Swgz31 Member Username: Swgz31 Post Number: 65 Registered: 06-2006 |
Was there myself, what started as a peaceful gathering soon got out of hand. We were just chillen enjoying the weather, throwen the football around playing beantoss, cops were walking on foot and things seemed pretty normal... Come night, the streets swelled, people were getting picked off for doing nothing out of the ordinary, and thats was pissed a lot of the people off. Then the bottles started comen and I got the hell out of there cuz I wanted nothing to do with that situation. On a side note, many of the people that were there causing shit weren't msu students... but regardless this is another blackmark for msu. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4571 Registered: 02-2005 |
I just don't understand why seeing the police write tickets makes people want to throw shit at them, regardless of how aggressive or annoying the cops might be. What does "nothing out of the ordinary" mean? Were these MIPs? Were the cops on the street, or walking up to private lawns/houses? Every football Saturday on State St. in Ann Arbor the cops basically wait on the sidewalk or in the street near Hoover St. to bust people (the partyers here are 90 percent minors) as they spill over from overflowing parties on front porches and lawns. Sure you get pissed when your buddy gets a ticket and might not be able to go to the game with you, but I don't see how you take the next step like they did at cedar fest last night. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 2968 Registered: 04-2006 |
Some of us might be too young to remember the last MSU riot... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M ichigan_State_University_stude nt_riot | ||
Swgz31 Member Username: Swgz31 Post Number: 66 Registered: 06-2006 |
They included MIPS, open intox etc. None of these people were "rioting", they weren't throwing bottles, burning dumpsters, etc. Cops were walking on the streets, came up to a few houses, even were driving in normal cars. I was pissed when my buddy got busted, I didn't take it out on the police, others saw differently I guess.... As the night went on they got mad at the police presence I guess idk, I talked to a few people at the police station today as I was bailing a friend out, and they told me the same thing about their night and how things escalated. | ||
El_jimbo Member Username: El_jimbo Post Number: 621 Registered: 12-2006 |
This time sounds like the police had a legit beef this time. The police had to go STRICTLY by the book because of how much flack they took last time. In 2003, after the loss to UNC in the Final Four, everyone left the bars, houses and apartments they were watching the game at...and the cops were waiting. They started firing into crowds right away. The dumb thing was that a line of cops in riot gear would fire into the crowd and drive them in one direction until they ran into another set of riot cops would fire tear gas and drive them right back the way they came. Even the local public, who is typically anti-student, was very upset with the way the police handled the situation back then. However, it sounds like from most reports that the police handled themselves in a much better manner this time around. | ||
Deteamster Member Username: Deteamster Post Number: 104 Registered: 07-2007 |
I went to Wayne State. I just don't get this MSU crap. Do these kids ever even go to class, or just blow all their parents money being frat boy jock asses or slutty sorority sisters? I liked WSU. You went to class. If you went to a party in the corridor, there was 50 people there, tops, just socializing and having a good time. Certainly no RIOTS to speak of. Maybe I was missing out. | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 1936 Registered: 03-2006 |
ELPD is awful, The Majority of MSU students are angry drunk rich kids It is like mixing oil and fire | ||
Gene Member Username: Gene Post Number: 99 Registered: 10-2006 |
First off most of the trouble makers were not students. This happens every year. Cops took action after a few assholes started tossing cans, bottles and bricks into the crowd, and lit a few fires for good measure. Too bad CNN and the national media picked the story up. I don't know why the cops didn't kick more ass. A bus full of detainees were trying to tip the damn thing over by rocking it from the inside. Talk about stupid. I have video that I will post a link to later. Again most if not all of the malcontents were not students of MSU. (Message edited by gene on April 06, 2008) | ||
Little_buddy Member Username: Little_buddy Post Number: 85 Registered: 03-2006 |
When does being a student give someone the right to throw bottles, yell obscenities, get drunk,etc. I thought the purpose of going to school was all about getting the skills needed for a job. If these people have trouble understanding that they need to do the right things for the right reasons all the time, then the police need to come in and use whatever force is needed to make them do the right thing, even if in their hearts they don't want to do it, and if they will not listen then start cracking heads. This is not young people doing something inmature, this is outright rebellion against authorities. Its not about civil rights, or inequalities,or religious freedom, it is simple rebellion. Standing in the corner type of punishment will not correct this behaviour. Prison, chain gangs, etc are what is needed. I hope people are happy with what we have been teaching people for the last 50 years-sex anytime is ok, don't listen to anyone, drugs,drinking is ok, two mommies, two daddies, no daddies, careers over kids, no absolutes what so ever, etc. Isn't it grand to see people being totally free of all restraints. TOTAL FREEDOM, NO MATTER WHO IT HURTS, NO MATTER THE COST. | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 1937 Registered: 03-2006 |
"I hope people are happy with what we have been teaching people for the last 50 years-sex anytime is ok, don't listen to anyone, drugs,drinking is ok, two mommies, two daddies, no daddies, careers over kids, no absolutes what so ever, etc. Isn't it grand to see people being totally free of all restraints. TOTAL FREEDOM, NO MATTER WHO IT HURTS, NO MATTER THE COST." sounds like it's time to kick out the jams mother f***er! | ||
Mdoyle Member Username: Mdoyle Post Number: 368 Registered: 10-2006 |
Little_buddy is sounding pretty righteous. Obviously this stuff wouldn't ever happen if we didn't tolerate the GAYS drinking and promiscuity. Get a life... This was drunk kids who started fights. Like this stuff never happened in the past. Kids will feel rebellious no matter what. I just wish they'd do it over something worth while. I really don't think we need to tolerate this sort of language here either. (Message edited by mdoyle on April 06, 2008) | ||
El_jimbo Member Username: El_jimbo Post Number: 622 Registered: 12-2006 |
As someone pointed out but most people chose to ignore is that the violence is committed by a VERY small minority of people. Also, many times as the details filter out in the following days, the overwhelming majority of the people who are arrested are not associated with the school in any way. Don't forget that Lansing has a very small metropolitan area around it. It doesn't take too much to drive out into the countryside where there are a LOT of white trash, redneck idiots who tend to act like idiots when they get drunk. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 2203 Registered: 09-2006 |
The ELPD are dicks. They'll ticket you for doing 28 in a 30 and they love to break up a good party, especially when there is black folk around but thats another thread.... Things like this is likely the main reason they are tearing down Cedar Village for some "upscale" developments in the next few years. They are pricing all of the students away from campus, but worry not, if there is a will there is a way I am sure this wont stop future Spartans from rioting. | ||
Apbest Member Username: Apbest Post Number: 675 Registered: 03-2006 |
I was there, exhilarating | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4572 Registered: 02-2005 |
There are videos of this on youtube. Basically just a lot of people standing around and a few pockets where people were confronting cops and bringing attention to themselves. It's really disgusting to see police in riot gear using flash grenades and tear gas on drunk people who are only pissed (rightly or wrongly-- I'll probably say wrongly) because of the police coming out in force and writing up ticky-tack violations. It seems like it only escalated because of their presence, and although their presence was justified, once things got nasty I'm sure they could have come up with a more constructive way to resolve the situation...i.e. walk away and let it simmer. But that would be letting all those young people ("frat-jocks and annoying rich sorority chicks etc.") win, and that's not acceptable to the police force whose average age is probably about 40, and who probably did not go to college. So, if you get my drift, I'm saying that their is a definite antipathy towards the students, and even if the reasons for the antipathy are spot-on, it's hard to justify tear gas and riot gear at a college party. Honestly, that's the sort of situation where you worry about the mix of pissed off people + alcohol + weapons. If they shot the wrong person with tear gas (i.e. someone with a gun or knife), then they would have had major issues. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 2205 Registered: 09-2006 |
http://www.lansingstatejournal .com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID =/20080406/VIDEO03/804060597 Those guys at the end are funny. | ||
Schulzte1 Member Username: Schulzte1 Post Number: 103 Registered: 01-2007 |
A little context here. From what I understand, this whole party was organized on the facebook website as a resurrection of sorts for the old Cedar Fest party which was held through 1987, when East Lansing banned it. So this was planned very easily though facebook contacts, but I think the nice weather led to the spontaneity of this gathering (no sports teams involved this time). Funny things happen at MSU when the weather turns nice, most of them good. The problem is now some partiers expect the police to overreact, and really went into this thing expecting and more or less goading the police to use tear gas, which is bad. The police set themselves up for this by overreacting in previous years and my money says Cedar Fest is going to be back, bigger and uglier next year. | ||
Rjk Member Username: Rjk Post Number: 1095 Registered: 11-2003 |
It's the same excuse every time there's a problem up at MSU, blame the cops. Here's an idea, maybe these little punks should try to control their alcohol consumption and when they see trouble coming, get the hell out of there and go back to their dorm/apartment. When a cop tells you to do something you do it, you don't continue to act like a smart ass. Whatever bad press MSU gets from this is well deserved. | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 5796 Registered: 10-2004 |
I have a friend who's been a civilian police dispatcher the past thirty years. He says that over 90% of the police calls are primarily due to "punks or drunks." It seems that at MSU this time, there were both punks and drunks. Hardly exhilarating, except for those without much in life to do. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 4721 Registered: 10-2003 |
Nothing like a little relaxation after a hard winter of studies. http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Y_ qEg1ZNrg Then it is back to hitting the books. http://youtube.com/watch?v=tvW ZMAfgWKI&feature=related Vision without action is a daydream, Action without vision is a nightmare. - Japanese Proverb | ||
Barnesfoto Member Username: Barnesfoto Post Number: 4941 Registered: 10-2003 |
what Deteamster said... | ||
Sparty06 Member Username: Sparty06 Post Number: 75 Registered: 03-2007 |
I actually find the most disturbing aspect of what's going on in East Lansing the city council's attempts to price students out of the off-campus neighborhood. They are literally building 2-3 thousand unit apartment complexes miles away from "downtown East Lansing" because rental licenses have been severely limited in the city and now they are planning to demolish the whole cedar village area. Part of the charm to a college town is the students walking all over and the general walkable shopping areas. As students are pushed farther and farther away from campus (both my rental laws and the non-stop ticky tack parking and other tickets given out) East Lansing will continue to lose its charm and the city council's goal of actually improving the city will slip further and further away. I truly think the city council wants to make the city a better place, I just don't think they understand how vital the students are to creating the college town atmosphere that people like. The students are the goose that lays the golden egg (economic development). The EL city council thinks they can start grab the goose around the neck (so it doesn't make noise) and tell it not to act like a goose and it will still keep laying golden eggs... it won't | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 1939 Registered: 03-2006 |
the first video is the epitome of Cedar Village |
