Posted on 10/22/2004 9:53:49 AM PDT by freepatriot32
BOSTON (Oct. 22) -- Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said he was considering banning alcohol sales near Fenway Park during the World Series, following rowdy celebrations of the Red Sox's league championship that turned deadly when a police officer shot a projectile into a crowd.
Menino planned to meet with bar and nightclub owners on Friday and also said he would press universities to expel students found guilty of criminal conduct in the melee.
"Since people won't accept responsibility, I, as mayor, will take it into my own hands," Menino said.
Emerson College student Victoria Snelgrove, 21, died on Thursday, hours after being hit in the eye with what was designed to be a non-lethal projectile that would douse the target with a pepper-like spray. Her father expressed outrage at the city's response to her death.
Witnesses said Snelgrove was standing outside the ballpark when a reveler threw a bottle at a mounted police officer. Another officer fired the plastic, pepper-spray filled balls into the crowd, hitting Snelgrove.
Fifteen other people, including a police officer, suffered minor injuries in Boston's Kenmore Square neighborhood near Fenway Park after thousands of baseball fans spilled onto the streets to celebrate the Red Sox triumph on Wednesday night at New York's Yankee Stadium. Small fires were set and fights broke out. Boston police reported eight arrests, mostly for disorderly conduct.
Menino said that to avoid a repeat of the rowdiness in his city, he was considering imposing the alcohol-sales ban through a state law never before used in Boston. The law lets him ban sale or distribution of alcohol "in cases of riot or great public excitement."
He said he may also ask bar and restaurant operators not to let television stations broadcast live scenes from inside their establishments during games.
Officials said the projectiles are not supposed to be aimed at people's faces, and Police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole said she would "firmly and emphatically accept responsibilities for any errors."
But, she continued, "I also condemn in the harshest words possible the actions of the punks (Wednesday) night who turned our city's victory into an opportunity for violence and mindless destruction."
The student's father, Rick Snelgrove, said angrily that she did nothing wrong. Standing outside the family home, he held up a photograph of his smiling daughter.
"What happened to her should not happen to any American citizen going to any type of game, no matter what," he said. "She loved the Red Sox. She went in to celebrate with friends. She was a bystander. She was out of the way, but she still got shot. Awful things happen to good people. My daughter was an exceptional person."
City officials had announced there would be a heavy police presence in Kenmore Square for the history-making victory by the Red Sox, who came back from a three games to none deficit to advance to the World Series.
The city had been caught understaffed when riots broke out after the New England Patriots' Super Bowl win on Feb. 1, when one person was killed and another critically injured by a vehicle that plowed into revelers.
Man...I can only imagine what would have happened if Boston lost!
Once again, the teacher keeps ALL the kids after class for the actions of a few. What a juvenile society we have.
How are they going to get it away from Theresa when she's at the Copley Plaza during election night?
I can't speak for the citizenry of Boston, but if you want to see me in a blind rage, try taking away my booze.
Owl_Eagle
" WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH"
Tragic, but a possible lesson. Avoid crowdy rowds.
I think it's a swell idea. He's a Dem, right??
Agreed. If it wasn't for the juvenile a--holes ruining it for the rest of us, society would be much better.
They should try that personal responsibility thingy. It's Boston, home of JFK, never mind. /so
Ted Kennedy is deeply saddened.
I like the sign, Kerry Edwards LIE.
The a--holes only ruin it for the rest of us because "authority" constantly uses the a--holes as an excuse to increase their control.
It's the American Way.
I think the government should drive them all to the ball game and buy them sodas and ice cream.
Well, if you want to see what happens when they lose, you could simply look back at every season's end from 1919 to 2003.
For the city of Boston's sake, I hope they lose in 4 or 5 to the Cards.
No problem. She votes in PA anyway. Lower taxrate don'tyaknow.
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