Only in Philadelphia. A riot broke out after the Philadelphia Catholic League Basketball Championship, because these animals can't control themselves. Unfortunately for me, the game was held at LaSalle University, which is in the dead center of my division. I know the cop who was hit with the bottle, but (as usual) the media blew it. More than one cop was assaulted on the scene, and the officers were not "fearing a riot" - they were trying to stop one.
A city-wide assist is the rarest of all calls. An assist is called when an officer needs help. It can go to a double, and then a triple assist when things get out of control. A city-wide assist is when the first three aren't working. It basically means that every officer in the city needs to drop what they are doing and rush in to the scene. Lovely.
March 4, 2006 - Seconds after Neumann Goretti point guard DJ Rivera hit the winning shot the scene turned chaotic. Eyewitnesses say Rivera began taunting Roman Catholic fans. Goretti followed suit, and tempers flared.
Fearing a riot, Philadelphia police called a citywide assist. Soon more than a hundred officers were on the scene. One officer had to be taken to Einstein Hospital after suffering a cut to the head from a thrown bottle.
Contemporary Services Corporation handled security for the game. It appears the crowd overwhelmed the security guards. One guard began cheering instead of working to control the crowd. Attempts to reach the company have been unsuccessful.
Fans credit police for getting the situation under control.
Did the radios at least not fail when the call went out?
ReplyDeleteGreat blog!
ReplyDeleteSilly Earthlings.
ReplyDeleteAdvanced civilisations know the best way to stop a potential riot is by dropping a few trilithium plasma bombs from high orbit.
You then mount the scorched fleshless skulls of the rioters on the tops of pikes lining the area's main street.
Trust, I rule several thousand planets and I only have to do that once for folks to learn their lesson.
Being a LaSalle Graduate, I have to agree with moxargon on this one.
ReplyDeleteHey...they were just getting warmed up for the Catholic high school tradition of getting drunk at Phillies games and starting riots there, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry...I couldn't help myself. I've had an awful and emotional day. I hope those officers injured won't suffer any permanent injuries.
Rach - Radios worked fine. I was as shocked as you were.
ReplyDeleteBullseye - Thanks! Welcome!
Moxargon - Crud. Where were you last night when we could have used some trilithium plasma bombs???
Deathlok - He is the voice of reason.
AH - Don't have them in Philly. They're "inhumane."
RT - No apologies necessary. An animal is an animal.
My better half and daughter just missed all the crap by a few hours -- the PIAA District 1 (suburbs) swim meet was in the pool at LaSalle, downstairs from the gym, and ended late afternoon. LaSalle's men's team was playing in the gym at the same time.
ReplyDeleteStill, doesn't make some of us Catholics look real good, eh? (My kids go to an archdiocesan high school, but one that's not in the Catholic League.)
I admit to liking Moxargon's idea there.