The University of Wisconsin Police Department canceled a Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity event last week due to security concerns, representatives of the fraternity said Saturday. The event, called "Seductive Ritmo," was set to take place at the Memorial Union's Tripp Commons on Saturday. Fraternity leaders say it was intended to celebrate the beginning of the Hispanic Heritage Month and the Mexican Independence Day. The event was cosponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. James Cueva, a Miami-based attorney representing Lambda Theta Phi, said UWPD expressed a concern toward the musical styles played in the event and said the cancellation was due in part to problems the department has had with parties where hip-hop is played. "We were taken back by that; it just seems to be stereotyping," Cueva said. "It felt a little bit like racial profiling." Lambda Theta Phi UW President Jon Gutierrez, who said he was present when UWPD informed the fraternity of the event cancellation, said he was shocked to know the event had been canceled on such short notice. Gutierrez said the "contract was signed, the DJ contracted and the organization's members were only waiting for the party to happen." Fraternity members say they were told UWPD was mainly concerned about the number of people allowed in the party and the possibility of having nonuniversity related people in the event, according to Gutierrez. He added the event organizers were planning to check IDs and regulate the number of people allowed in the party. "There are things to minimize capacity, to turn people away," Gutierrez said. "I just don't understand why they couldn't have done it with this party." According to Cueva, the organization is evaluating its current options and discussing them with UW officials. "We'd like to see something in form of a written apology from the university," Cueva said. "It's unfortunate that the UWPD chose to cancel this event." Cueva added the department seems to be open to working this matter out, and the two parties are discussing the policies and procedures to ensure a similar incident does not happen in the future. Officials from UWPD were not available for comment Sunday.
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UW Police force frat to nix party
September 17, 2007
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