The Badger Herald: News: Freakfest attracts 44,000; arrest numbers down

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Freakfest attracts 44,000; arrest numbers down

City officials deem annual Halloween event a success

KIERAN FUREY KING and BECKY VEVEA/Herald video

LUKAS KEAPPROTH/Herald photo

A ‘girl gone wild’ acts the part for the camera Saturday night. Freakfest, however, was far from wild with few incidents reported.

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LUKAS KEAPPROTH/Herald photo

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LUKAS KEAPPROTH/Herald photo

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LUKAS KEAPPROTH/Herald photo

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By Matt Marx
Monday, November 2, 2009 12:21 a.m.

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Freakfest concluded Saturday night without any major incidents, a decrease in the number of arrests and an increase in attendance.

According to Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain, the number of arrests as of 2 a.m. Sunday totaled 47, and most of these were for minor violations such as open intoxicants. Most of the people arrested were cited and then released, DeSpain added.

This is a decline in the amount of arrests from previous years. Last year, police arrested 77 people, down from the 175 total arrests in 2007. Attendance increased from about 38,000 people last year to about 44,000 this year.

Only two people went to jail and three went to the hospital, according to DeSpain. He noted these numbers are preliminary at this point and are subject to change as more data comes in from the event.

Overall, police and city officials were satisfied with the event. DeSpain characterized Freakfest as very successful and said the crowd on State Street was cooperative, leading to a “festive and fun time.”

The crowd was dispersed at the end of the night without incident, DeSpain added.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, attended the celebration Saturday night and was also pleased with the result of the event. By almost all statistical barometers, Verveer said, it was a successful year.

He was particularly pleased with the rise in attendance for the event, as he had concerns the switch to the gated event of Freakfest was met with a less than ecstatic reception from the campus community.

While the event was announced as a success and no major incidents occurred, the Freakfest weekend did see some police events of note.

According to the police report of Freakfest, a man was hospitalized with some minor injures after a police horse spun around and knocked him down on State Street.

Verveer said the man was not under arrest, and the horse was spooked and accidentally ran into the man — an unusual occurrence.

Other incidents included a man reported being stabbed at 1 a.m. Sunday while waiting in line at Madison Avenue, according to the police report. The man was transported to the hospital with superficial wounds on the arms and buttocks. The perpetrator has not been found.

A police officer suffered minor injuries after responding to a domestic dispute Saturday night near the corner of Gorham and Carroll streets, according to the report.

A 23-year-old Madison man was walking with a female associate when he began arguing with her, ultimately putting her in a headlock and head-butting her. The MPD officer tried to break it up, and the man punched the officer several times in the head in the ensuing struggle, with other officers being involved as well.

The man has been arrested on a variety of charges, including battery to a police officer and resisting arrest. The officer did not need medical attention, according to the report.

Check out photos from Freakfest 2009.

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