said Andrea Mallory, an Ohio University junior studying social work.
Two residents of 25A Palmer St. raked broken glass from their yard Sunday, chagrined that, once again, Palmerfest ended with flames and riot gear.
I hoped it wouldn't happen. It was annoying said Andrea Mallory, an Ohio University junior studying social work. Mallory and her roommate Samantha Proctor, a junior studying education, locked their doors Saturday but allowed partygoers onto their porch and yard.
I knew it would happen Proctor said.
The annual block party began early, with the first revelers arriving at about 8 a.m. despite the brisk weather. The crowd remained small during the early afternoon, but by 3 p.m., people crowded the yards and porches along the short street.
(We won't start a fire)
but we will definitely partake in surrounding the fire and yelling for no reason
junior Tommy Motsinger said.
As predicted, several people lit a couch on fire shortly after 11 p.m. Police wearing riot gear cleared the street, and officers on horseback dispersed the crowd. The crowd responded by throwing beer bottles and cans at police. By 12:45 a.m., the street was clear. Uniformed and undercover officers arrested 30 people. Officers declined to give a crowd estimate.
Last year's bash ended similarly after revelers lit several fires and pelted police and firefighters with bottles. Officers and undercover agents arrested 59 people last year, according to a June 2 Post article. Officers, breaking with tradition, estimated the crowd at between 6,000 and 10,000 people.
City and university officials blamed the violence on a few bad eggs.
Overall
I am disappointed that a small minority of people lit fires and threw bottles
said Robert Leary, president of Student Senate.
Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi, who patrolled Palmer Street with police officers from 8 to 10 p.m., said he was disappointed in the people who started the fire and threw bottles.
By 10 p.m.
I thought the mood had probably changed
Lombardi said, adding that he saw people beyond intoxicated and didn't recognize many attendees.
OU will send students who were unruly to University Judiciaries, he said, later adding that any student responsible for the fire or assaulting police would likely be suspended or expelled.
Athens police referred a reporter's query to a news release from Assistant Service-Safety Director Ron Lucas. The release chronicled the night's events.
After 6 p.m. Saturday, the crowd overflowed onto Palmer Street, making the road impassable to vehicles. Four to six mounted police officers trotted down Palmer Street every 15 to 20 minutes, making their presence known to partygoers.
Several hours later, at about 10:50 p.m., a feeling of restlessness overtook the street as revelers began jumping up and down in the road. Throughout the night, the largest portion of the crowd stayed between 8 and 16 Palmer St. Several people standing in the road near 12 Palmer St. attempted to light fires using white cloths and cardboard boxes. One partygoer quickly stamped out the flames.
Minutes later, people began booing the police, throwing beer cans and bottles at officers and chanting O-U and U-S-A
U-S-A. A mounted officer attempted to break up the crowd but fell from his horse, which proceeded to run toward Mill Street.
Mounted officers tried to clear the street, packing people onto front lawns and sidewalks. But revelers poured back onto Palmer, chanting and dancing.
Soon after, officers wearing vests and helmets, and armed with batons, began warning people to leave, saying everybody goes and get out while you can.
At about 11:20 p.m., revelers started a couch fire that was extinguished by the Athens Fire Department within 20 minutes. Right before the blaze began, Ohio University student Kyle DeVault, a resident of 19 Palmer St., gave a mounted police officer a fire extinguisher.
I don't want them to think we are all assholes
DeVault said. Maybe that helps out. Maybe it eases some tension.
As the fire department put out the fire, Athens resident Randy Harrah calmly picked up crushed beer cans off the street.
There is a fire every year
