Seven people were arrested after multiple fights broke out on the final night of the Wisconsin State Fair. A ‘mob’ of youth ran around the Fair, kicing and punching everyone in sight. One police offier was punched in the face. They are reporting no serious injuries.
The Winsconsin State Fair released the following Statement:
“Sunday evening, near the close of the annual State Fair, Wisconsin State Fair Park Police, with the support of the Milwaukee and West Allis Police Departments, responded to disturbances on and around Wisconsin State Fair Park. This included individuals attempting to gain unauthorized access to the Fair, as well as disturbances involving groups on the grounds. Law enforcement and security staff responded quickly as these incidents occurred.
No serious injuries to Fairgoers were reported. Despite initial reports circulating Sunday evening, law enforcement has confirmed there were no gunshots associated with the incidents at the Wisconsin State Fair.
For 11 days, hundreds of thousands of guests came together for a safe and successful Wisconsin State Fair. The incidents Sunday evening were isolated to the final hours of the Fair and are not representative of the experience our guests enjoyed throughout the event. The behavior is always unacceptable and is not what we expect or will tolerate at the Wisconsin State Fair Park.
We had enhanced security and additional law enforcement resources in place throughout the Fair, including support from the Milwaukee and West Allis police departments, Milwaukee Police District 3, MPD Major Events Response Team, mounted and bicycle patrols, and drone coverage. Those resources allowed our security and public safety teams to respond quickly Sunday evening. We continually review our security plans with our law enforcement partners and look for ways to make the Fair even safer for our guests.
The safety of our Fairgoers, vendors, exhibitors and employees is always our highest priority. We are grateful to Wisconsin State Fair Park Police and all of our law enforcement partners for their response Sunday evening and their work throughout the Fair.”
Commentary: With Santa Cali Gon Days Coming…
With Santa-Cali-Gon Days right around the corner, the City of Independence sees things like this, and the incident in Lees Summit and they decide to attempt what could simply be a fruitless endeavor to prevent an incident at their Labor Day Weekend Festival. The City of Independence has unanimously passed an ordiance that would put a curfew on unaccompanied youth under the age of 18 from being on the Independence Square, at the Festival from 6pm to 6am for the duration of the event. But let’s be real. The youth that would be a part of something like this are not going to comply with the curfew. They are going to come in, do their damage and make a run for it. They are counting on very few of them getting caught, if any, and that it will be someone else, not them. No consequences, no reason not to act out and ruin the Festival for everyone.
As I have said before. We need to make examples of those who are caught. I don’t care if they are under 18, there are punishments taht can be issued to them. If we don’t get this under control, someone is going to get seriously hurt, or worse, killed. And again, I won’t be anywhere near this event, for several reasons:
- I am elderly. I would have a very difficult time navigating the grounds in the crowds that this place attracts, and let’s be brutally honest, mos of you assholes out there don’t give a moment’s consideration to the Elderly or Disabled. I would be in a cane or a walker and it would be a fucking nightmare for me.
- The City of Independence has made it illegal for anyone to possess firearms or other weapons on them inside the footprint of the Festival. Otherwords, whent he criminals come in, if I find myself in fear for my life, I have no recourse to protect myself, or anyone else with deadly force. Worse is the fact that there is no way that the City of Independence can put enough law enforcement on the ground at this event to protect the people who attend the festival. And again, Criminals are not going to give the ‘no guns’ rule for the festival a second thought, as has been displayed in the past.
- The Festival offers nothing more than over-priced food, sales pitches for sidding, windows, and other services of which have become more of an annoyance than a service. What vendors there are mostly sell junk at premium prices to people who really don’t understand what theya re buying. It looks neat. it’s cheap junk. Then there are the crafts, which are huddled into tents that are all but friendly to those with mobility issues.
You all can have a good time. I have seen more than my fair share of Santa-Cali-Gon Festivals in my life. I remember the good days, I have even performed at Santa-Cali-Gon with a couple of different bands over a period of three years. I have seen the best and some of the worse of the festival where people are concerned. And in today’s atmosphere, it’s bound to get even worse before it gets better.
