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The Pittsburgh Press, 20th June 1986 In the wake of violence after a weekend concert, Mayor Richard Caliguiri today said he may try to ban some or all rock concerts in Pittsburgh to curb violence that has occurred after some shows. "I will no longer stand for this hooliganism of people coming out of rock shows and causing us disturbances Downtown," the mayor said at an impromptu news conference outside his office. "We may have to cut out some of the shows that come into Pittsburgh, or we might cut out rock shows altogether if our young people do not know how to maintain some sanity when they come out of them." Within two hours after the Run-DMC concert let out at 11 p.m., 25 people were arrested -including nine juveniles, one as young as 11 and 22 people were treated at two city hospitals. One person suffered a skull fracture. Caliguiri today also assailed concert promoters for "taking too lightly" the possibility of disturbances and said some musical groups "incite our people to get riled up." Saturday's concert was promoted by two out-of-town agencies. The mayor made it clear he blames concert promoters and patrons, and not police, for the recent problems of violence after shows. Caliguiri said he was "completely satisfied" with the police response to Saturday night's incident. Caliguiri said he has ordered Public Safety Director John Norton to meet with local promoters and Civic Arena officials to resolve the problem of violence and assaults of pedestrians after some concerts. . Norton said there's "no doubt" in his mind that drugs, alcohol and the "provocative and pornographic" lyrics of the performers at the arena Saturday contributed to a rampage of violence Downtown after the show. Norton said today that arena officials are not adequately screening concert goers for alcoholic beverages. "Apparently, no one has their carry-ins searched . . . You can go in there with a case of beer." City fire officials attended the concert to watch for spectators violating the no-smoking ban in the arena but backed off quickly when the crowd became hostile, said Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Mellott. "We backed off so someone didn't get hurt," he said. "It was too dangerous for my people to be there and the crowd was too thick to do the job without causing more of a disturbance," he said. He said they couldn't call in more inspectors because they all were tied up at the Pirates game at Three Rivers Stadium or at the carnival at Station Square. Norton denied that Saturday's violence could be connected to race. "I don't see racial overtones at all. I see overtones of drugs and drunkenness and the promotion of violence. These are black-oriented groups and white oriented groups. No matter what they are, they're scum." Speaking at a news conference 1'esterday morning, Norton and Police Chief William Moore criticized the band. Moore said that as a result of Saturday's violence, he will ask the city solicitor to determine the legality of requiring rock bands to post bonds before performing in Pittsburgh. "There's no question in my mind (the disturbance) was drug- and alcohol-related. The lyrics in the songs are provocative and pornographic. They incite violence. I'm not sure of the words used, but it's up to the parents to know what is happening," Norton said. "If we had our way right now, if that band isn't out of town now, we'd probably run them out," Norton said. Police had problems with unruly youths after a concert by the same group last year. Norton said. He said. however, that the incidents were not as serious as they were Saturday night. Twelve people were treated at Central Medical Center for cuts and bruises, while another six were taken to Mercy Hospital with bruises, facial cuts and one broken nose. Four people were admitted. Ronald Williams, 19, of Miami, Fla., admitted with a skull fracture, said he was leaving the concert when "these dude?, they jumped me. One of them stabbed me in the leg. They kicked me in the head." Lisa Stewart, 17, and Joseph Le-pare, 16, were in fair condition this morning with head injuries, and David Ramage, 14, was in good condition. Police at stations throughout the city were taking reports, most of which they attributed to the disturbance Downtown, into the early hours of yesterday morning. East Liberty, the North Side and the Hill District reported 35 offenses, including four burglaries, eight broken windows, four robberies, 14 aggravated assaults, one hit-and-run accident, one attempted rape at Point State Park and three thefts from cars. Moore said about 9,000 people attended the concert, which started one hour late and was let out an hour early. Performers in addition to Run-DMC were Whodini, L.L. Cool J and the Beastie Boys. Witnesses said groups of young blacks attacked bystanders, broke store windows and damaged several cars. At least nine buses were damaged when windows and doors were broken or kicked out, said PAT spokesman Rick Hannegan. At about 11:45 Saturday night, canine police units arrived, sending panic through the crowds. Around midnight, police and the dogs began clearing Fifth Avenue as they headed toward Smithfield Street, sending more than 100 people running and screaming up the street. "At headquarters, they told us to arrest everyone," one officer said. "There's over 1,000 people down here!" Norton said the incidents Saturday night were far more serious than those following a performance by Renee and Angela during the Three Rivers Arts Festival. The Pittsburgh Press, 1st July 1986 Police unaware of rap bands' potential to incite teens By Noreen Seebacher and Cindi Lash The Pittsburgh Press Had police here called Atlanta prior to the Run-DMC concert, they might have been better prepared for the violence that broke out following last Saturday's performance. When Run-DMC played the Georgia capital last month, police were aware the group has the potential to incite its predominantly teenage audiences. "The kids here got a little rowdy, throwing rocks, fighting, things like that," Atlanta Patrolman Carlos Wicker said in a telephone interview yesterday. But Wicker said police were familiar enough with the group and teenage audiences to be prepared. "We had enough police up there to handle things," he said. "It's always the same with a bunch of kids. They must think they have to cram all they can into their one night on the town." That could have been what happened here Saturday, when hundreds of youths spilled into the streets of Downtown from a show featuring four "rap" bands at the Civia Arena. Public Safety Department spokeswoman Margaret Rizza said city police did not know of Run-DMC's potential for trouble. But she said that from now on, police will do their homework on groups. "We'll be looking for that information to be provided to us by either the promoter or the sponsor," she said. Ms. Rizza said officials of nearly every major event scheduled in the city during the year will meet in the Public Safety Building, Downtown, at 3 p.m. today to discuss the problems Saturday. Among those attending the closed meeting, she said, are officials of Three Rivers Stadium, the Syria Mosque, the Civic Arena, Heinz Hall, the Three Rivers Arts Festival and the Three Rivers Regatta. "We want to talk about what we can do better and what they can do better," she said. And City Council has scheduled a hearing tomorrow afternoon on the incident. Rap is a style of rhythmic speech, developed mainly by black performers, and popularized during the past few years. Within two hours of the end of the concert, 16 adults and nine juveniles, one as young as 11, were arrested, and 22 others were injured, one seriously. The violence has triggered outrage from Mayor Richard Caliguiri, who yesterday threatened to ban rock concerts; Public Safety Director John Norton, who . blamed the incidents on "provocative and pornographic" lyrics; and even the man who emceed the show. The latter, Chuck Woodson, program director at WAMO-FM, said, "I was shocked by the presentation and obscene language" of the performers. Woodson said he was so appalled, he left before Run-DMC took the stage. Woodson was hired for the show by DiCesare-Engler Productions, which did local advertising and stage work for the out-of-town promoters. The national tour, which began May 21, is being promoted by G-Street Express of Washington, D.C., and Stage Right Productions of Baltimore. The group is scheduled to play tomorrow in Milwaukee and continue performing through late August, stopping in more than a dozen major cities. So far, the group has played in cities including Atlanta, Los Angeles, Birmingham, Ala., Houston, Dallas and Cleveland. Police in Cleveland said they were prepared for Thursday's concert in the wake of a June 13th spree of violence triggered by a 30-act "Battle of Convention Rappers and DJs" show. That performance, co-sponsored by two radio stations, resulted in fighting that left two people hospitalized, 40 injured and seven others arrested. Whether the problems result from what the rap groups say or the fact that the crowds they address are generally teenagers is a matter of debate. Caliguiri yesterday placed blame on both the crowd and the performers, saying: "I will no longer stand for this hooliganism of people coming out of rock shows and causing us disturbances Downtown. "We may have to cut out some of the shows that come into Pittsburgh, or we might cut out rock shows altogether if our young people do not know how to maintain some sanity when they come out of them." City Councilman Jack Wagner, chairman of council's public safety committee, was sharply critical of the police response, saying "there should have been 500 arrests" Saturday night. "This city became a riot town ... We should have been prepared for what happened, but we were not prepared. When I hear the public safety director saying it was the lyrics, that it was the band's fault, that's a disgrace. Our job is to protect the public," Wagner said. Police with K-9 dogs should be at all arena and stadium events, Wagner said, adding that he wants the K-9 corps increased from its present 38 dogs to 100. Councilwoman Sophie Masloff, who recently moved to the Washington Plaza Apartments, across Centre Avenue from the Civic Arena, said she had a 15th-floor view of the action. Mrs. Masloff said she heard what sounded like a "clap of thunder" and saw gangs of youths racing from the arena, screaming. "At first, I thought the building had collapsed," she said. "Whatever happened started in the arena." Councilwoman Michelle Madoff said the incident highlights a need for more police officers, and said she will seek a referendum on whether citizens are willing to pay higher taxes to enlarge the force. But President Ben Woods said even 500 police officers would have been unable to quell the disturbance. "The problem is with the individuals (attending the concert)," he said. An aide to Mayor Richard Caliguiri, the Rev. James Simms, said he doubts the performers were at fault for the incident refuting Norton's claim that the lyrics the performers used were the reason for the problems. He said he and his three children are familiar with music by Run-DMC and the other groups that performed Saturday night. "I have a Run-DMC tape right in my car. There's no way they could have incited a riot. The theme of their lyrics is consistently positive." Police Chief William Moore and Ms. Rizza met yesterday with representatives of WAMO-FM and WDVE-FM to discuss the events Saturday. Officials of both stations wanted to meet with Moore to "lay down some groundwork" for future concerts, Ms. Rizza said. "It doesn't help our perception as the No. 1 city to have this kind of rampage over the weekend," Norton said. "It gives sustenance and succor to those who want to say downtown is unsafe. We will not have that." Norton said he will make a recommendation to the mayor on future handling of concerts. He said he also has contacted Teen Vision, a local organization that screens rock music and provides information about groups that perform songs containing references to Satanism, drug use or sex. If concerts continue, the department likely will draft a checklist of requirements promoters must complete before a permit will be issued for the performance, Deputy Public Safety Director Glenn Cannon said. The checklist will deal with building and fire safety codes, but also will require promoters to detail the type of music the group performs and any past incidents of fights or vandalism at concerts, he said. . "We absolutely will have better intelligence in the future," he said. "If we find evidence that a group may mean problems, we just won't issue a permit. We don't need concerts given by people with a track record of causing violence." |
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