Ok, I swear I heard a teaser for the news last night that said some huge fight had broken out at a theme park. I did a search and couldn't find anything... Does anyone have any info or was it just the voices in my head? ;)

Ok, I swear I heard a teaser for the news last night that said some huge fight had broken out at a theme park. I did a search and couldn't find anything... Does anyone have any info or was it just the voices in my head? ;)

No, you're not going crazy.... ;) They said it was at an amusement park in Riverside, California. From the brief news footage, it looked like one of those little miniature golf/carny ride/water park type places. Definitely not a major theme park.

Castle Park in Riverside. Hundreds of kids in an apparent racially-motivated melee who ALL turned on the police once they showed up.

Dang!
Thanks for the info! :)

I drive past here on my way to Disney. ---

RIVERSIDE: Three are hurt; 2,500 are evacuated from Castle Park during the race-related fight.


11:30 PM PST on Monday, February 14, 2005

By JOHN WELSH and KIMBERLY TRONE / The Press-Enterprise

RIVERSIDE - Racial tensions erupted into a violent free-for-all at an amusement park Monday night, canceling a Valentine's Day promotion, police said.
"It was black on brown -- brown versus black," said Riverside police Lt. Mark McFall.
Just after 6 p.m., officers responded to Castle Park in Riverside's La Sierra neighborhood, but the officers were outnumbered by the mob.

An estimated 200 people turned on the early-arriving officers. Three officers with minor injuries were taken by ambulance to a hospital, said McFall, standing outside the park's gates as upset parents arrived searching for their children.

Dozens of police officers evacuated an estimated 2,500 people from the park who showed up to take advantage of an unlimited ride night for $5.

"We didn't expect anything like this. We're a family park," said Rolf Paegert, the park's general manager. "They were looking for trouble."

No one fired a weapon and there were no reports of a stabbing, McFall said. Officers detained dozens of people and arrested three juveniles on suspicion of assault and battery.

California Highway Patrol officers helped block Diana Avenue, turning away some of the parents whose children called them from cell phones.

Frantic mothers and fathers circled nearby city streets, jamming La Sierra and Magnolia avenues, after having dropped off their children for a fun night. The incident happened so fast some teenagers said they thought people were seriously hurt.

Francisco Nuñez dropped everything while shopping at a nearby store to return to Castle Park after hearing of the disruption.

An officer turned away Paul Rogers, who stood at a restaurant parking lot while talking on cell phone with his daughter, Katey, 12. Minutes later they reunited as Katey and her friend, Emilee Curl, 12, walked along Diana Avenue.

"People were just screaming and running," Emilee said.

Katey said they ran one direction -- but didn't know if they were running to the fight or away from it.

"We were freaking out," Emilee added. "But now that we're out, we're more mellow."

The tension spilled over to some nearby businesses, including a Taco Bell at Magnolia Avenue and Skofstad Street that shut down after another fight.

Someone in a group punched Francis Garcia, 15, in his left temple at the Taco Bell, he said.

Castle Park's Paegert said the park was not at its capacity and called its security presence strong.

In January 1996, a security guard at Castle Amusement Park was shot in the face and chest during an altercation with two youths. In September 1992, a man shot a rival gang member in the leg at the park.

The park was founded in 1976 and began its amusement rides in 1985.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rbriefs15.2feb15,1,1301531.story?coll=la-headlines-california (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rbriefs15.2feb15,1,1301531.story?coll=la-headlines-california)

QuikQuote: Police quelled a melee involving about 200 youths at an amusement park Monday night and arrested several teens. Four officers responded to a report at 6:15 p.m. of a racially motivated fight among several youths at Castle Park.
Lt. Mark McFall said the crowd turned on the officers and a full-scale fight broke out involving parkgoers. An additional three dozen officers rushed to the scene and dispersed the crowd by 8 p.m., police said.

___________

And here is a statement from the General Manager of Castle Park, located in Riverside, California.

http://www.amusementbusiness.com/amusementbusiness/industrynews/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000800588 (http://www.amusementbusiness.com/amusementbusiness/industrynews/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000800588)



General manager Rolf Paegert said some of those who came to the park for a $5 unlimited ride promotion were looking for trouble. When a fight broke out, Riverside police were called in to assist, in accordance with the park's security plan.

“A small group of individuals came to the park that we normally don't have at the park and they were looking for trouble,” Paegert said. “They got into a scuffle. The Riverside Police Department responded and in the process they assaulted a police officer and that led to a much larger response as they take such things very seriously. They handled it professionally and in a timely manner and we opted to close the park at that time.”

Wow, that's scary. I used to go there as a kid but my parents were always there.

I worked one summer at Pharoah's Lost Kingdom, another theme park in the Inland Empire. The worst days to work were the ones where people got in for free if you came before 6 AM (99.1 radio promotion) or the unlimited for 5 bucks day. Of course I had to work 12 hour shifts those days with only 1/2 hour break as a minor but that's a whole other story. It was horrible!

I worked one summer at Pharoah's Lost Kingdom, another theme park in the Inland Empire. The worst days to work were the ones where people got in for free if you came before 6 AM (99.1 radio promotion) or the unlimited for 5 bucks day. Of course I had to work 12 hour shifts those days with only 1/2 hour break as a minor but that's a whole other story. It was horrible!

So cheap park = cheap people?
We have been to Pharos once- that park stinks. Been to Castle Park many many times, not too great either.

Wow, that's just crazy. :(

I went to Castle Park years ago with my cousins. It's crazy to think there was a brawl there. But then I could go to a Local Bar USA and see the same thing.

So cheap park = cheap people?

I wasn't saying that. It's just went parks have promotions like that it brings a crowd that normally wouldn't be at the park.

I read in L.A. Times there were 3 security guards in that place when this whole mess happened. Is that crazy or what expecting 3 guards to that number of people in the park? Whats that parks management thinking! "Penny wise pound foolish"!

Many earlier posts say, "cheap promotions only attract trouble." The managers must not be watching the news and learn from the KBF Cinco De Mayo years ago. I went to Castle a few years ago at Valentine's Day when it was only $2.14 and remember a few good size fights that went back and forth inbetween the rides. I told my boyfriend, never again will we go when it's cheap.

I used to like Castle, it seems to be worse and worse the few times I go each year. Too many teens younger than me hanging out allover the place cussing and bothering me for my phone number, I asked a employee at a ride to call security because this guy kept on bothering me, it took like 15 minute for help. I complained to a manager and he said that there were busy, I only saw 2 security that whole night. I never see much security around, unlike years ago there was security all over that park. Did they lessen the amount of security to save money? Many companies try to save money, later it costs them more. At least at my school they have security and police.

I will think twice before I go back again, least at DL and other parks I see security all over.