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Police arrest 100 after California street party turns violent

6 Comments

At least 44 people were injured and more than 100 were arrested after a California student street party turned into a huge brawl, police said Sunday.

Authorities from several law enforcement agencies joined forces to control unruly crowds Saturday during Deltopia, a spring break party in Isla Vista that drew about 15,000 people, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

The office said a "major disturbance" broke out after a University of California Santa Barbara Police officer was hit on the head with a backpack filled with large bottles of alcohol.

As the authorities moved in to make arrests, "a large crowd gathered for several blocks and threw objects at law enforcement personnel, including rocks, bricks and bottles," the sheriff's office said.

Partygoers ripped up stop signs, lit small fires and damaged property, including security officers' vehicles.

Security forces from Santa Barbara and Ventura County used tear gas and foam projectiles to disperse the crowd.

But "it took several hours for law enforcement to disperse the crowd and restore order," the sheriff's office said.

At least five other sheriff's deputies were injured during the clashes. One was hit in the face with a brick, while two others were hit with bottles on the hand.

During spring break vacation periods, generally in March or April, many American students let loose and party, often on US beaches and in Mexico, and frequently with alcohol.

© (c) 2014 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

6 Comments
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Aaaah CHILDHood:

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

That sounds absurd, the police are making it up. It's probably yet another incident like the Tuscon "riot" where the only violence at all was from police.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Yes Anon, that is the way I read the article. One officer gets hit on the head, no explanation about the circumstances, then cops move in and try to arrest everyone and break up the party. Nobody figured the youths would be upset about that! And I am sure the American police were courteous, just like always!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Sounds like an agent provocateur style set up

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Yeah, because it couldn't POSSIBLY be that underage students were drinking during the street party. It HAD to be the police that instigated it, right? After all, why would police attempt to stop public drunkenness? What, do they think there's a LAW or something about public drunkenness? (rolls eyes)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I would rather go on a Santa Barbara Health Vacation than to a party like this.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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