anyone know anything about the police action that happened Saturday evening.  Channel 13 had it’s usually sketchy coverage but what I understood was that everyone was out partying and having a good time and the cops decided to do some sort of a police riot control.  There was no riot and no reason for the action but about 250 cops in full riot gear show up in the middle of the event and close the strand down.  They arrest everyone who was underage and drinking and ticket everyone who was intoxicated.  Cahnnel 13 said the tickets were flying off the books.  blow into a tube, oops, here is a ticket.  next!  Then teh cops fall back to their staging areas and the crowd is “expected” to get back to having a “good time”.  After a couple more hours the riot cops come back out and “close it down”.

I knew Mardi Gras was going to be a money making scheme for Galveston but never thought it would come to this.  Someone that was their please fill me in on what really happened.  Is this the future for “street parties in Texas?  Do we have to look over our shoulder for big brother and count our drinks when we are told to let loose and party?  we never use to have these "events" in Texas.  you could not go bar to bar with a drink in your hand and now they want to give us that right and then tax us when we try to do it.
    .

I guess they don't want a Chocolate City !!! ???? !!!!

Tag

Edit:  These guys were there:  www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=8&t=224609

I worked Mardi Gras in Galveston.  Here's what happened.  At 1830 Galveston SWAT, League City SWAT, Texas City SWAT, and some GPD Officers and County SO did a sweep of the streets to clear the crowds so the parade could come through and the city workers could put up the baracades.  Those people who "bucked" them or jumped over the barracades AFTER it was cleared were grabbed and handed back to an arrest team or taken to the mobile command station.  Where they were either arrested or written a ticket.  They were really lax on them this year and only grabbed the ones who really got out of line.  After the initial sweep the parade was delayed 20 minutes due to the weather at the beginning and therefore people took the barracades down and went about partying in the streets.  When the parade made it's turn onto the strand they had to form a wedge AGAIN to clear the streets cause people had jumped the barracades or taken them down.  Yes people got written tickets for underaged drinking and all but that was mainly TABC doing their routine bar checks.  Most of the times if it was a class C misdemeanor they were written a ticket and not arrested UNLESS they acted a fool and got out of line.  At around 8:30 AFTER the parade came through there was a shots fired call place around the corner from our post so we took off in that direction.  THAT turned into a free for all fight between people.  Everyone running in every which direction.  One of the shooters was caught the other feld on foot and due to a vague description wasn't located.  All and all it was a quiet night with not to many problems.  I don't know where channel 13 got their "information" but they were so vague because it didn't happen the way they tried to make it out.

Andrew

Welcome to post Katrina Texas

Quoted: I guess they don't want a Chocolate City !!! ???? !!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

OUTSTANDING.

Quoted: I worked Mardi Gras in Galveston.  Here's what happened.  At 1830 Galveston SWAT, League City SWAT, Texas City SWAT, and some GPD Officers and County SO did a sweep of the streets to clear the crowds so the parade could come through and the city workers could put up the baracades.  Those people who "bucked" them or jumped over the barracades AFTER it was cleared were grabbed and handed back to an arrest team or taken to the mobile command station.  Where they were either arrested or written a ticket.  They were really lax on them this year and only grabbed the ones who really got out of line.  After the initial sweep the parade was delayed 20 minutes due to the weather at the beginning and therefore people took the barracades down and went about partying in the streets.  When the parade made it's turn onto the strand they had to form a wedge AGAIN to clear the streets cause people had jumped the barracades or taken them down.  Yes people got written tickets for underaged drinking and all but that was mainly TABC doing their routine bar checks.  Most of the times if it was a class C misdemeanor they were written a ticket and not arrested UNLESS they acted a fool and got out of line.  At around 8:30 AFTER the parade came through there was a shots fired call place around the corner from our post so we took off in that direction.  THAT turned into a free for all fight between people.  Everyone running in every which direction.  One of the shooters was caught the other feld on foot and due to a vague description wasn't located.  All and all it was a quiet night with not to many problems.  I don't know where channel 13 got their "information" but they were so vague because it didn't happen the way they tried to make it out. Andrew

Sounds about right. The police made a handfull of arrests or citations issued out of the thousands that attended with only the real idiots getting the attention. The news media needs something to keep their ratings up so they try to find something juicy to report, even if they have to spice it up just a bit.

I was working several years ago on the nightshift. A local chemical refinery had union workers show up and set up a wildcat picket before daylight and we responded to monitor them. Nothing ever came of the incident. They had their picket and went home and we ended our shift. By the time it hit the news media, it was a large scale disturbance with approximately 25 officers responding. The only problem is that we only had 8 officers working the shift that night which was normal and there was no disturbance. So much for accuracy in reporting.

Quoted: I worked Mardi Gras in Galveston.  Here's what happened.  At 1830 Galveston SWAT, League City SWAT, Texas City SWAT, and some GPD Officers and County SO did a sweep of the streets to clear the crowds so the parade could come through and the city workers could put up the baracades.... Andrew

Why would SWAT Teams from three cities be used to "sweep the streets to clear the crowds" in preparation of a parade? Am I missing something here, or does that sound a bit much?

They used the weekend as a "training event" for riot control.  We usually have SO and GPD working it but they got all the galveston county SWAT teams together and used the multiple clearings for multiple parades as training.  It's pretty logical if you ask me.  What better way to get riot control then in a situation where a riot could break out at any moment.

Andrew

Quoted: They used the weekend as a "training event" for riot control.  We usually have SO and GPD working it but they got all the galveston county SWAT teams together and used the multiple clearings for multiple parades as training.  It's pretty logical if you ask me.  What better way to get riot control then in a situation where a riot could break out at any moment. Andrew

And trust me a riot could have broken out at any moment

Quoted: Quoted: I worked Mardi Gras in Galveston.  Here's what happened.  At 1830 Galveston SWAT, League City SWAT, Texas City SWAT, and some GPD Officers and County SO did a sweep of the streets to clear the crowds so the parade could come through and the city workers could put up the baracades.... Andrew Why would SWAT Teams from three cities be used to "sweep the streets to clear the crowds" in preparation of a parade? Am I missing something here, or does that sound a bit much?

have you ever even been down there, I don't blame them

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I worked Mardi Gras in Galveston.  Here's what happened.  At 1830 Galveston SWAT, League City SWAT, Texas City SWAT, and some GPD Officers and County SO did a sweep of the streets to clear the crowds so the parade could come through and the city workers could put up the baracades.... Andrew Why would SWAT Teams from three cities be used to "sweep the streets to clear the crowds" in preparation of a parade? Am I missing something here, or does that sound a bit much? have you ever even been down there, I don't blame them

Yeah, I have. My wife's family is from Galveston, and I've been down there more than once for Mardi Gras (which we usually observe from a relatives porch). It's not exactly my cup of tea, and I'm not a big fan of Galveston, but the notion that it's a good idea to have several SWAT teams in place before the Galveston Mardi Gras takes place, just in case a riot breaks out seems questionable. I really have no idea, but have there ever been riots before at other Mardi Gras celebrations in Galveston that would justify that? I'm not trying to be a smartass here, but I am trying to make some sense of this.

SWAT a lot of times is just used for manpower purposes as it is easy to assemble them as a team. They are also familiar with working in elements more so that regular patrol or detectives. SWAT also has the ability to deploy tear gas and in most agencies it is either a riot team or SWAT that puts in the gas.

Some SWAT teams also work as riot teams, according to policy. In our department we have used them that way in the past but recently established a riot/crowd control team so SWAT is not needed in that capacity anymore. SWAT also works together on other situations that might not be a purely SWAT scenario. That is for training purposes to get in work as a team.

Just the fact that SWAT was on a scene in not necessarily ominous. They are on scene just in case they are needed. We often have EMS or the fire department standing by but no one thinks anything of it.

I work nights in downtown Austin.  A place with it's own Mardi Gras "tradition".  I'm less than 3 blocks from the entertainment district.  Fortunately, I park in a secure garage.   I can hear the crowd and see them from the upper floors.  I don't know if those APD guys are SWAT or riot police, but I'm damn glad they are there.  It could get REALLY ugly really fast, as has happened in the past.

In my opinion the city could be better served by razing the entire 6th street area and planting grass and maybe a park bench or two.  Just think for one moment how much that little party is costing the taxpayer. he

Quoted: There was no riot and no reason for the action but about 250 cops in full riot gear show up in the middle of the event and close the strand down.  They arrest everyone who was underage and drinking and ticket everyone who was intoxicated.

I can see your point. No need in the police enforcing the laws, especially the underage drinking. What has gotten into the cops anyway?

Do we have to look over our shoulder for big brother and count our drinks when we are told to let loose and party?

Exactly who was it that told you that you were supposed to let loose and party? Did that person tell you that you could break the law?

we never use to have these "events" in Texas.  you could not go bar to bar with a drink in your hand and now they want to give us that right and then tax us when we try to do it.

Street parties have been around for many years. I am not sure about what right it is that you are trying to excersize and I have no idea what tax you are talking about. Maybe you could enlighten me.

some of you people just love bashing galveston, its residents and mardi gras in general, im not even going to comment on your opinions on nola residents, there wasnt anything that even approached a large scale use of force by the swat teams. They used the swat team in a wedge formation to clear the street for the parade and then the swat team was followed by horse mounted officers(waving at kids and throwing beads), motorcycle cops, state guard(waving and throwing beads), people on top of ambulances throwing beads, people on fire trucks throwing beads, cops in squad cars throwing beads, people in costumes throwing beads, local bands playing instruments... Its a freaking parade. the cops were just as much a part of the procession as the floats were and they only nabbed people when they got really drunk and stupid. i personally had a blast and didnt have any problems with law enforcement. Except for with andrew, he wouldnt let me sneak past his checkpoint and hit on the rich hot drunk women at the tremont.

One would imagine that you would have to be a complete jackass to get yourself arrested during mardi gras.  Galveston or NOLA.  During my first NOLA mardi gras I found my reasonably intoxicated self standing next to a NO police officer.  Being a conversational drunk, and utterly amazed at what I was seeing in the streets, I politely asked exactly what one would have to do to get arrested here.  His reply: "If you don't hit me you're not going to jail tonight"  Surely it can't have changed that much post Katrina/Rita

Quoted: Except for with andrew, he wouldnt let me sneak past his checkpoint and hit on the rich hot drunk women at the tremont.

Hey I was trying to hit on them myself.  As you saw I didn't have to much troubles.  The occasional drunk trying to make it past by walking by and ignoring people.  The passed out drunk in the vallet parking hut.  NONE of them got tickets or arrested.  Just asked to leave or escorted out of the "pay" area.   On anyother day of the year that passed out drunk WOULD have been picked up for PI.

You know I'm still getting razzed at work about that girl that gave me beads and kissed me infront of my Sgt.

Andrew

Did anyone see this guy there ?






Invisiblesoul