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Freakfest causes minor damages
Himal Chuli, Pizza di Roma get windows broken by attendees; fewer issues in ‘09
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KIERAN FUREY KING and BECKY VEVEA/Herald video
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Also by Lauren Anderson:
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- Commission gives OK to Capitol Square changes (November 17, 2009)
- Winter parking rules take hold (November 16, 2009)
- Company chosen for county's 1st digester (November 10, 2009)
- Weekend sees 13 OWI arrests (November 4, 2009)
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A man was arrested after punching the window of a State Street restaurant early Sunday morning, in one of several other minor Freakfest incidents.
According to the incident report, at 2:47 a.m., a Madison Street Department employee witnessed a man removing his fist from the window of Himal Chuli restaurant on State Street, shattering the window and cutting the man’s hand.
Police arrested a 27-year-old Milwaukee man, Xavier Armando Garcia, on charges of criminal damage to property for the incident.
The police also released updated arrest and attendance statistics Monday. According to Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain, 51 people were arrested Saturday, 45 of whom were cited and released. The estimated number of revelers was 50,000, including 44,000 actual ticket-holders and an additional number who arrived on State Street before the event was fenced off, DeSpain said.
Himal Chuli manager Jamuna Shrestha said this is the third time the business’ windows have been broken during Halloween festivities, but the first in which the suspect has been caught. None of the three incidents has resulted in any stolen items, Shrestha said.
Shrestha called the incident “very sad,” saying the cost to repair the window is significant for a small business.
Despite the damage done to her restaurant, Shrestha commended the MPD on its patrol of Freakfest.
Although DeSpain could not confirm any additional reported damage, Pizza di Roma, located across the street from Himal Chuli, also sustained a broken window around 11 p.m. Saturday, said Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, who was present at the scene. Verveer said the restaurant manager chased the perpetrator but lost him in the crowd.
Verveer said though he “felt badly” for the two restaurant owners, overall, this year’s Freakfest resulted in relatively few incidents.
Prior to the gated admission process of Freakfest, particularly in the early 2000s, vandalism occurred much more frequently and police resorted to using pepper spray and tear gas at the end of the evening, Verveer said. In 2002, dozens of windows were broken and looting took place on the 400 block of State Street.
“Compared to some past Halloweens, the amount of property damage was minimal this past weekend,” Verveer said.
Check out photos from Freakfest 2009.
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IP hash: e4e92e7a
Fuck the people from Milwaukee. Stay in your lame-ass city.
IP hash: 0fa11ed0
Lame ass city? OK we’ll just stop making beer and see who the lame ass city is then? Just because one douchebag from Milwaukee broke a window doesnt make the whole city lame. Way to generalize, thats real mature.
IP hash: 939aa1f5
Milwaukee beer?! Why would you ever be proud of Schlitz or Miller?
IP hash: 950e5460
Because they are good beers, Milwaukee also gives you PBR and Sprecher….I’ll take any Milwaukee beer over Bud anyday
IP hash: 939aa1f5
And I’ll take my imports and microbrews over your PBR (really?!) and Sprecher.
IP hash: 895d262d
Wow, whats up coastie. You’re obviously not a true Wisconsinite if you put down our beer.
IP hash: a5975418
Orly? I’m from Wausau, but I also happen to know what good beer tastes like.
IP hash: 53c2744a
I’m a big fan of Milwaukee beer, but FYI, netiher Schlitz or Pabst are brewed in Milwaukee anymore.
IP hash: 53c2744a
I’m a big fan of Milwaukee beer, but FYI, netiher Schlitz or Pabst are brewed in Milwaukee anymore.
IP hash: 872db1c2
Maybe if lame ass people from Madison didn’t fake being crippled and steal other people’s things then this guy wouldn’t have accidentally punched the window! The punch wasn’t meant for the window ass holes!
IP hash: efd071f9
You guys are all losers
IP hash: e4e92e7a
Correction, everyone in here is a retard.