What REALLY Killed May Day and Katheryn Place

[Captain Kangaroo]

I read this and I harkened back to the old Katheryn Place and May Day parties. These were turned into "riots" by the media, with all sorts of reports of student violence. Since attended these things "back in the day" with some frequency...as did thousands of other students...I can say the following ALWAYS happend:

Party is cool until later in the evening...band of young, non U of A student kids walks through the crowd and begins causing trouble. Fights begin.

Once word of the party spread amongst the non-student, thug crowd, the problems worsened.

See below:

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Youth arrests mar Akron celebration

Firecracker thrown into police group, injuring 3

By Marilyn Miller

Beacon Journal staff writer

Akron police said although this year's annual Akron Family Barbeque downtown was successful and without incident, several rowdy youths outside the festival gates were arrested for fighting and throwing firecrackers.

Police arrested about 15 youths for disorderly behavior and fireworks violations Monday. An M100 firecracker was thrown in the middle of several police on bicycles, causing minor injuries to three officers.

Capt. Daniel Zampelli said a crowd of 100 to 200 youths were gathered near the north end of the festival at East Mill and Main streets after being dispersed from the south end.

He said every year teens end up fighting, but this year was worse because of the large number involved.

``Every year a bunch of thugs come down to create problems,'' Zampelli said. ``They were just a group of teens who either couldn't get into the festival or didn't want to get in and just hung around the periphery causing trouble. They weren't there to watch the fireworks.''

He said the trouble was contained outside the festival. Inside, only one person was arrested for intoxication during the four-day event.

``We did more dispersing of the crowd than anything else,'' he said. ``We had to use pepper spray... ''

Zampelli said the fights, involving boys and girls, broke out after the fireworks.

The officers injured by the firecracker were treated by paramedics at the scene. One officer was cut on the hand and two others experienced some temporary hearing loss.

Zampelli said it is illegal for individuals to detonate fireworks in the state of Ohio and one can only be in possession of them if they are being transported out of the state.

Staffing more officers outside the festival is something the department is looking into for next year.

Zampelli said staffing the festival leaves only a skeleton staff for the periphery. He said 15 or more officers staff the festival and that number can reach 50 to 60 during peak times. On July 4, there were 20 to 25 officers who worked the Innerbelt, outside the main gates of the festival and Cascade Plaza.

Akron police and city officials met Tuesday to plan a new strategy for handling rowdy youths next year. Zampelli said the event will be handled similarly to May Day's zero tolerance policy. During the 1990s in the University of Akron area, setting fires, throwing bottles, drinking and loud music became a tradition in celebrating the end of the school year. Police began cracking down on the disturbances in 2000 after the incidents became more serious.

``If you are fighting or taunting, you will not get a summons,'' Zampelli said. ``You are going to jail.''