Youths fight while leaving Cincinnati family festival

CINCINNATI -- Groups of youths fought and overturned tables while leaving the downtown Black Family Reunion festival.

Eight people were arrested, but the disturbances did not force the cancellation of any closing events Sunday at the three-day festival.

Some 2,000 to 4,000 youths yelled obscenities and threw chairs during a Saturday night hip-hop concert at the festival in a riverfront park, police Capt. Greg Snider said Sunday.

Fighting escalated as smaller groups of up to 150 spilled into the downtown Fountain Square, about a 10-minute walk, dumping trash cans and tipping newspaper boxes, police said.

People told police they heard gunshots and that youths were throwing objects at cars, and one group attacked a bus driver, who was slightly injured, but the attackers fled before police could arrest them, Snider said. About 10 people were treated for minor injuries.

The youths "began what some may call 'wilding,' moving through as a large fluid crowd," police Lt. Kurt Byrd said.

The confusion was compounded by about 25,000 people leaving the Cincinnati Reds game and tying up bus traffic, Byrd said.

Thunderstorms helped police clear the area by about 11:30 p.m.

About 50,000 to 70,000 attended the family festival on Saturday, Snider said.

Continuing thunderstorms kept attendance down at Sunday's closing day events, which included concerts by gospel groups and Mary Wilson of the Supremes.

"It's a different crowd on Sunday," said organizer Cassandra Robinson.

The arrests after Saturday's events were for disorderly conduct; two people were also charged with resisting arrest, Byrd said. Officers used chemical irritant spray in making some arrests but Byrd wouldn't give details on the spray or how it was used.

Byrd blamed the disturbance on the combination of hot, humid weather and large numbers of unsupervised youths.

"Kids were doing what kids do when they get in large numbers; they were running," Robinson said. "When you get 60 of them running through a crowd, it gets alarming."

Robinson said she would meet with police and other event organizers before next year to determine what should change.

Last year, about 70,000 people attended the Saturday session of the annual festival as the city coped with boycotts and racial tensions following the shooting of an unarmed black man by a white police officer in April 2001.

The three-day reunion includes health screenings and presentations by social agencies, hospitals and other groups on topics aimed at helping families. There are booths offering information on colleges and entrance requirements, jobs, health and technology.

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On the Net

Festival: http://www.midwestbfrc.com/