NEWS
Rain can’t stop Mifflin partygoers
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Also by Heather Quitos:
- In-Depth: Spending money to make money (April 26, 2007)
- J-Cheezy, UW kick off challenge (April 20, 2007)
- In-Depth: Looking inside UW's closet (April 12, 2007)
- Recruiters face diversity issue (March 26, 2007)
- Tag-team academics (March 14, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Mifflin volunteers aid quick cleanup (May 1, 2006)
- Students make project out of Mifflin garbage (April 26, 2006)
- Several Mifflin porches unsafe (April 22, 2004)
- Mifflin Street won't be closed for annual party (April 23, 2002)
- City officials, Mifflin residents to discuss annual block party (April 29, 2002)
by Heather Quitos
Monday, May 1, 2006
April rain showers failed to stop University of Wisconsin students and others from partying at the annual Mifflin Street Block Party Saturday.
As rain and wind conditions grew worse, however, partygoers left the area early, and patrolling police officers left the party around 8 p.m. — nearly two hours earlier than in previous years.
Still, partygoers seemed to enjoy themselves at the traditional Madison celebration.
"I'm pleased to report after talking to a lot of partygoers and a lot of Mifflin residents, most folks had a good time," Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said. "And at least we got a few hours in before Mother Nature intervened with the cold and rainy weather."
Verveer, who has played an integral role in planning the entire party, said the weather "drastically" impacted the crowd turnout.
"The cops had estimated that at the height of the party, there were between 10 and 15 thousand at the party," he noted.
The figure is lower than last year's estimate, which reached around 20,000 people.
Police made 267 arrests at the party, according to a Madison Police Department release, and Verveer noted the vast majority of the arrests were on non-criminal alcohol-related charges.
Though more than 200 arrests were made, Hanson did say officers witnessed a much larger number of people overconsuming alcohol.
"What we had was about 100 officers standing in the cold rain watching people drink and overconsume alcohol," he said. "Can there be success? That is the question … that others have to ask."
Fourteen of those arrested went to jail, but most of the people taken to jail were visiting from outside the state, according to Verveer.
And while 37 percent of the arrests made were UW students, Verveer felt the number reflects the type of UW-oriented crowd that attends the block party each year.
House party citations were also lower this year, as only five houses are in the process of receiving citations, according to Verveer.
"I was pleasantly surprised to find out it may be only five parties," he said. "Last year, we had at least double — if not triple — of that."
One house, Verveer said, will definitely face a high number of fines, as all 11 residents of the house at 518 W. Mifflin St. will receive five counts of party violations each.
The weather was a deciding factor in determining the end of the party, as Madison Police Department Public Information Officer Mike Hanson said street sweepers began to clean the area around 8 p.m.
UW junior Katherine Guerra, who lives on the 500 block of Mifflin Street, agreed the weather had some impact on the overall behavior of partygoers.
"I think weather made it a little calmer," she said. "I didn't really see anything too dramatic."
Hanson additionally noted the police department's plans of enforcement at the annual event were deployed smoothly.
"For police officers, the plan in place worked perfectly," he said. "Every time we do this, the whole event from the law enforcement comes together to work as a team."
Guerra understood the enforcement tactics of the police were part of a plan to keep behavior of intoxicated students under control.
"It's more difficult to get out of control," she said. "Every year they're getting a little more stringent, like the fact that you couldn't have glass bottles or beverages on the sidewalks."
The biggest complaints Verveer received from Mifflin residents centered on the jurisdiction of police officers and their music tolerance, as some bands were shut down for excessive amplification.
He felt the complaints address a "perennial" issue of music tolerance that should be dealt with in the future.
With the calmer environment and the lack of serious incidents, Guerra said she enjoyed this year's party.
"It was fun," she said. "It was interesting to see how it's skewed from this anti-war protest into this beer-guzzling event."
Anonymous (May 1, 2006 @ 3:15pm):
i was arrested for protesting the police shutting down our concert at 518 mifflin. They arrested me for saying "fuck the police." supposedly i was inciting a riot, which was ridiculous. We were trying to have a good time and enjoy the day. The crowd was very calm while we were playing. The guys at 518 hired security guards and had the party well regulated and in order. Then the cops came and created chaos and started arresting kids and made us shut down our concert. I tried to reason with them, which is when they actually cuffed me. I was completely sober, due to the fact that i had been setting up this concert for 5 hours previous to the actual event. They didn't see that though, they were abusing their power. They didn't even give it a chance to see whether or not people were out of control. My band (motu) was hoping to get a lot of exposure at mifflin. We have been working really hard and worked particularly hard and spent alot of money to put on our concert. The madison police department crushed our dream and arrested me on top of that. they ruined alot of innocent fun and had a total lack of respect for party goers and hard working musicians. While this letter was quickly written and not gramatically organized, I hope the point gets across: The police are allowed too much discretion in deciding whether or not to arrest someone and know too little of the actual law to actually enforce it. Shame on them
-abe lichy
Anonymous (May 1, 2006 @ 8:25pm):
I happen to hate the cops in general, but the slack jawed yokels that ruined this party in 96 were defiantly out-of-towners and students. Sometimes the cops just keep the peace and on Mifflin in those days the peace was pot smoking, beer bonging, sexy, whippet cracking, fun-loving debauchery. Only the idiots came to fight, vandalize or taunt the police who mostly just left us alone.
You got what you were looking for, but found out that your little urban adventure has real consequences. The stroll out of the suburbs to looking for adventure is real life. Kids play tough and get the tough end of it. Next time, don't let your ego or you lust for limelight run your mouth and your brain will keep your record clean. No sympathy here kid.
