CRYSTAL, Minnesota — The weather is an uncertain factor for many official July 4 celebrations, but the spontaneous gatherings, especially among teenagers, have police and local residents on high alert.
In Crystal, the deputy chief says police are “pulling out all the stops” to prevent a repeat of what happened last week, when police said more than 300 people descended on Becker Park, where they witnessed fights, fireworks and even Taser-like devices.
“It was just a lot of yelling, a lot of loud noises and all over this area,” Keanna Clerk, who lives nearby, complained to WCCO. “I felt unsafe. It was scary.”
Six people were arrested during the riots and police want to turn away large groups of children, especially those who arrive by taxi.
“This is my biggest fear,” Clerk said. “I’m a mother, and there are parents who are afraid for their children, who have given up on their children, or who have given up on life, had children, and are just sending them out the door.”
In Minneapolis, two sections of the Bde Maka Ska Parkway are closed to traffic starting Wednesday and will remain closed until Friday morning.
“If someone threatens the safety or property of others, we will take action,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Wednesday. “We will make arrests and work with our partners in Hennepin County to put those responsible in jail.”
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office also says dozens of patrols will be deployed this weekend to address any fireworks chaos and to keep an eye out for drunk drivers.
Additional officers will be patrolling Lake Minnetonka, along with ambulance and firefighters, where thousands of boats are expected over the long weekend.
“I think what everyone doesn’t realize is that if you get a DWI on the water, it’s the same as it is on land,” said Major Shane Magnuson of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. “So if that means you have to surrender your license or have your plates impounded, that applies on land as well.”
Jonas Kaplan
