Cinco de Mayo Incident

[Duemellon]

Can anyone explain to me why the police where surprised at the outcome when the same thing happened the year before?

Why the incident of six-hundred only yielded a dozen arrests?

And other pertinent details?

[postfeminist]

what are you talking about?

(p.s. random info: cinco de mayo is karl marx's birthday.)

[Duemellon]

ok, u can't tell me the news coverage of the incident was THAT small...

there was an incident in Clifton where more than 600 people were throwing rocks, lighting fires, overturning cars onto the fires to set them on fire, looting, and such.

And you didn't hear of that?

Oh, by the way, they didn't call it a riot.

600 people, burning, looting, throwing rocks, and it's not a riot?

[Duemellon]

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/05/08/editorial_letters81.html

Thursday, May 8, 2003
Readers' Views


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UC riot no different than race-based one


TO THE EDITOR:

I have a question in regard to the Cinco de Mayo riot, and the University of Cincinnati.

What kind of a message does it send to the community that a university is supposed to be part of, that says basically: We'll help the police find those responsible, but we're not going to do anything to them ourselves.

What kind of student code of conduct protects students from the ramifications of riotous behavior inflicted on the community in which the university is located? The university might want to consider a public announcement changing the student code of conduct. Aren't two riots for two years in a row enough to warrant the change?

Anyone interested enough to look up pictures of the infamous Cincinnati riots that took place in Over-the-Rhine a few years ago, and compare them to the pictures that have been published from the Cinco de Mayo riot, would have a hard time believing the Over-the-Rhine riot was the one that brought national attention.

More than 600 hundred liquored-up college students turn over two cars, set them on fire, then throw rocks and bottles at the police who arrive on the scene.

Of the 600, fewer than a dozen are arrested, while the others drag themselves home to sleep it off, and worry about it another day.

The city seems to be breathing a sigh of relief, because the incident happened in an area without any real political clout - no harm done. Meanwhile, every television station in town has a clip in its archive of a hotdog stand being turned over and looted, as proof of an entire race's lack of respect for society.

Maybe the whole thing was nothing more than a political-science project the students were working on. I wonder if they'll get extra credit?

George Corneliussen, Montgomery


Police should have learned from last year

Regarding last weekend's "Cinco de Stratford" mini-riot in Clifton Heights ("Block party got out of hand," May 5): I find it hard to believe that the Cincinnati Police Department was not adequately prepared to take preventive action before the situation became out of control when, in fact, last year's fiasco served as a wakeup call. Why were there no police walking in patrols in that area before the situation became such a nightmare?

It's not as if officials were unaware of the fact that a similar situation was likely to arise again this year. With an estimate of more than 600 non-residents, many of them below legal drinking age, congregating on that block, drinking to excess and pursuing other illegal activities, such as overturning cars and setting fires, what was going on?

As for officials from the University of Cincinnati making excuses for such lawless behavior, all I can say is I wish you lived in this neighborhood. You would never accept this kind of disrespect to your life or property, but many of us who are longtime residents find ourselves with little or no choice.

UC Vice President for Student Affairs Mitchel Livingston said: "It's spring. It's near the end of the year. It's right before a period when we go into serious study. It becomes a convenient excuse for irresponsible behavior." Right. And if there is no punishment for such reprehensible behavior, it will just perpetuate itself again next year. Heaven help us all.

Sandye Utley, Clifton Heights

[DogStarMan]

Sheesh...fuckin' college kids :rolleyes:

[cuddlyevil]

Caught this onthe news last weekend, watched an interview with a girl who was visiting a friend one street over--she parked on Stratford. When things got ugly, her brand new car got turned over and set aflame...poor kid. It isn't any different than the race riots, it's a shame that UC won't do anything because it wasn't on University property (that's the only reason they're not doing anything), but this isn't the best PR campaign either...

[Bronzetree]

Not defending UC here, but first, most of the arrests made were of NON-UC students. I'm sure as thigns are reviewed, more arrests will be made. Second, since it didn't happen on campus or during school hours, why is UC responsible for a bunch of fucking idiotic, underage drinkers? They can't go to these parties and babysit, so what are they supposed to do? Send out a memo to all students saying that drinking is bad and could get you expelled? Oh wait, yeah, that's already in the student handbook. Think back to when you were 19. Would a stern warning from the Administrative Offices of your college deter you from drinking or getting out of hand again? Yeah, I didn't think so. And again, a good bulk of the people involved in this were NOT UC students. So how is the University responsible? I'm baffled.

Now, I'm not at all saying these are just "kids being kids." I think the amateur videotapes we alls aw clips of on the news should be reviewed closely and they should find whoever they can that participated in this bullshit and prosecute. But to blame the University for something they can't possibly control is ludicrous. More police patrols and a quicker response time may have helped, but that's not UC's responsibility. It's the City of Cincinnati's.

[cuddlyevil]

Not saying the University has to do anything, but at least they could not be so complacent about it and chalk it up to "kids being kids". Granted, most of the problems on any college campus are caused by non-students. Hopefully, they will arrest more of the people responsible.

All's I know is when something like this happened at UD, out in the neighbourhood--UD cancelled homecoming indefinitely (well, until enough alums held back their contributions in protest) as well as holding students responsible for their actions in whatever way they could (the neighbourhood is part UD property part non-university related residential property).

[postfeminist]

i watch the west virginia news, and i'm a little surprised that my parents didn't tell me about it. (my mom works at UC.)

bronzetree is right--UC isn't responsible. There comes a time when college kids need to be f&cking held responsible for their own actions...those of us who work on campuses get sick of the criticism that we don't do enough to control the students. guess what--if they can vote & register for the draft, we don't babysit them--just try to lead them in good directions. most students aren't interested in being lead anywhere but the keg, so somedays i just say "f&ck it."

[DogStarMan]

What is this word, f&ck? I can't find it in the dictionary ;)

I just think it's sad that our society has become so complacent that we can't find anything worthwhile to turn over cars and loot hot dog stands over. I mean, come on....Cinco de Mayo?

[foolsgold]

Originally posted by DogStarMan
I just think it's sad that our society has become so complacent that we can't find anything worthwhile to turn over cars and loot hot dog stands over. I mean, come on....Cinco de Mayo?

Preach it. It makes me seriously nostaglic for the good old days when drunken college kids rioted because the bars closed an hour early for Daylight Savings Time...

Lousy farmers.

[Kittymld]

All these assholes in Cincinnati are really starting to piss me off. Everything is getting canceled and what not because some idiots don't know how to act. I mean, jeez, how many murders have we had so far this year?? It seems like everytime (everyday) I turn on the news someones been shot or set a fire or did something stupid. I'd like to take my son to the Taste of Cincinnati at the end of the month, but how do I know some crazed idiot isn't going to shoot the place up? I'd probably be safer in New York, you may have to worry about getting your purse stolen but that sure is better than getting shot up. If something happens this weekend at Jammin' (I'm not going) that will be the end of that and who knows what else. Anyone know anything about Louisville, we may have the opportunity to move there in a few years, it can't be this bad right?

[Duemellon]

UC's responsibility is limited to this:
---

And we (the city) should be responsible for the rest.

The things that bothered me about this are:

a) it was not called a RIOT by police or media for a considerable time until citizenry said: "Isn't this a riot?"

b) Police didn't quite grasp that Cinco was a riot last year, and that this year we could be seeing the beginning of a tradition?

Oh, I remember someone compared this to response at OSU and said response was lax in comparison to it. Uh... the incident (I think it was the daylight savings moment) went by without much ado b/c the police dealt with it effectively, efficiently, with little presence, but with purpose.

c) Police claimed they were incapable of reacting properly.

That's great. Riots in Cincy can go without check. Yosh will soon have his time to run amok and make his point without much resistance because the police are letting it "go to Hell" so the citizenry beg "whatever you want! please come back!"

The overall glaring thing is that our law enforcement group is doing a horrible job, and because their status as "servants of the citizenry" has changed from protection to control. Now that we are tired of that they resent it.

Oh well.

[JohnnyRoyale]

I think Cincy needs to chill out on the hype of it. Testosterone and alcohol mixed rages seems to be the thing for these kids now and I think it's going to keep happening from time to time regardless of what the police or universitites do. That disgrace that promoters called the recent "Woodstock" is a prime example. I'm sure incidents like these are happening all over the country, we're just not hearing that much about it around here.

[Duemellon]

Testosterone and alcohol mixed rages seems to be the thing for these kids now and I think it's going to keep happening from time to time regardless of what the police or universitites do.4 years ago, it wasn't "the rage". 4 years ago it didn't happen except in those OTHER places.

Please tell me that 4 yrs ago does not constitute "the good ol' days".

[classicgrrl]

maybe UC needs to move outside the city limits...
;)
of course, this would solve the abondment of Short Vine as well...