|
 |
Eliminate this kind of 'night life'
Deseret News editorial
Salt Lake City got a glimpse of what rowdy night life consists of late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. It was a glimpse that must not be allowed to become a regular or routine occurrence.
Twenty people were arrested for actions that included public intoxication, assaulting an officer and failing to disperse. Unruly crowds tossed beer bottles at officers in riot gear, hurled street signs and barricades into buildings and jumped on the hoods of cars.
CNN led off its Sunday morning news updates with the Salt Lake incident, terming it "Beer Brawl," which featured this comment: "People will do anything for a beer."
In an editorial published Jan. 3, the Deseret News expressed concern about the apparent attempt by local government to enliven Salt Lake City by loosening restrictions on alcohol while extending night club business hours.
What what we said then applies even more now: Salt Lake City's night life will never be confused with that of New Orleans or Las Vegas. "Its reputation is that of a good, clean place to raise a family. It is doubtful it will ever be known as a city that never sleeps. And that's why the current attempt by some to make it a city noted for its night life seems odd."
Granted, with the tremendous crowds generated by the Winter Olympics, law enforcement officers have an almost impossible task of keeping things under control. That's precisely why the consumption of alcohol cannot be allowed to get out of hand. Alcohol and large, irritated crowds are a terrible combination. That proved to be the case late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
According to local police, the trouble began when "Bud World" at the Gallivan Center became so full that nobody else could enter. There were an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 people in line at each of the two entrances to Bud World when the decision was made to close the exhibit late Saturday night. That was followed shortly by the aforementioned unruly behavior.
Not surprisingly, drinking before the incident contributed to its magnitude. A police spokesman admitted that the lack of enforcement of open container laws in downtown Salt Lake during the Olympics was partly to blame for the mayhem. The reason given by police? With so many people drinking, it was difficult to enforce the open container laws.
The incident could have been worse given the size of the crowd and the amount of alcohol consumed — Sunday morning city cleanup crews were quickly clearing broken glass, empty beer cans and other debris that littered the area.
Instead of giving a city "life," alcohol brings danger into the equation. That observation was verified again over the weekend in Salt Lake City.
|
|
February 25, 2002
|
