History of Riots in West Chico
1987
In March 1987, Playboy Magazine named Chico State the "Number One party school" in the nation. University president Robin Wilson met with city officials including City Manager Fred Davis, and Police Chief, John Bullerjahn with the goal of ending the reputation by ending the parties directly with police force. On April 25, 1987 police riots broke out during the Pioneer Days celebration when police in riot gear marched into a crowd of pedestrians at Fifth and Ivy in a flying V formation. Later police went around the vicinity directing everybody off the streets. President Wilson announced an end to the 70 year old tradition saying, he took Pioneer Days "out back and shot it in the head." The tradition continued under various names in the intervening years. The City Council at the time created a Special Events Task Force to look into the causes of the problems, and recommend solutions.
1991
2008
On the night of October 11, 2008, what has been described as a riot broke out when police broke up a crowd of revelers at Sixth and Ivy. It is reported that the group of partiers moved en masse to Fifth and Ivy. It is here that reports of rioting behavior began, with people throwing bottles and lighting fires. 1
Related News Articles
Note that the Chico ER removes online articles to their pay-per-view archive after a certain period of time
- The Orion - Riot Breaks Out in Chico
- Chico ER - UPDATE: Hundreds take to downtown Chico streets after police break up party (10/12/2008)
- Chico ER - Revelers throw bottles, start fires downtown (10/13/2008)
This topic needs to be expanded. Please use the edit button to add more.
2009
During the night of 29th/30th of January, a riot occurred at W. 6th Street and Chestnut. Reports say that two parties may have combined and created a large crowd of at least 200 people and bonfire. The Chico Police Department took on the effort to disperse the crowd with the help of the Chico State University Police, CHP, Butte County Sheriff's deputies, and Paradise police. In this response to this, the mass built a bonfire. The crowd was warned that they must disperse by a specific time, and when they did not, the cops moved in with riot gear. This eventually caused the desired effect of total break up of the crowd by around 1:30am. Patrols continued through the morning. Chico Police said that some members of the crowd threw rocks and bottles at them and two cruisers were damaged. Furthermore, two civilian vehicles were damaged with one being declared a total loss. The Chico PD arrested four individuals associated with alleged vandalism and other potential offenses such as failure to disperse. One woman suffered minor burns from the fire.2 The Chico Police are currently trying to identify individuals that took part that may have in some way broke the law.
While the disturbance likely had participation from non-students, Butte College and CSU Chico made special statements to their students. Butte College President Diana Van Der Ploeg wrote to the entire student body of the college on 1/30 because one of the four arrested was a Butte student. She stated that "Due to the hostile nature of the crowd, a woman who was burned in the fire had to be carried to medical aid over a block away." She attended a meeting with Chico State administrators, City of Chico officials, and the Butte County District Attorney to discuss the events. In the same email, President Van Der Ploeg encouraged all Butte College students to uphold a high standard and to have a safe weekend. Read full email. A similar e-mail from Chico State President Paul Zingg on the same day declared that any student charged with a crime will be removed from the university.
Related News Articles
Note that the Chico ER removes online articles to their pay-per-view archive after a certain period of time
- Chico ER - Police disperse large crowd at westside disturbance; at least two arrests made (1/30/2009)
This topic needs to be expanded. Please use the edit button to add more.
Photo request
Were you at any of these riots? Did you take pictures? If so post your story and/or pics (only those that you took, nothing copyrighted by a local news agency please!) here.
Comments
2008-10-12 23:20:06 as for the 08 riot wasnt there but doesnt suprise me, cops keep breaking up parties and disrespect people eventually the people are gonna get pissed off and strike back. Feel bad for anyone whos car happened to be parked in the area and got damaged cause that sucks, but otherwise the 2008 riot was long overdue. —71.197.127.18
2009-01-30 10:26:21 After reading the Police Riot wikipedia article, I am less certain that "Police Riot" is the correct term to use here unless a peace officer or a group of them actually uses a disproportionate amount of force against somebody (such as beating up or shooting). None of these accounts include reports of Chico Police or other entities doing this. These are not attacks by the Chico Police. —RyanMikulovsky
- Disagree 110%. The police show up at these events wearing the gear, and then there is a riot. I'm sorry but I don't have to pretend about what is going on here. There is no need for police to go in to break up any party AT ALL, much less wearing riot gear. The problem is exacerbated when people buy in to the believe that it is perfectly normal for police to break up what is otherwise free speech and assembly. Once you believe police really are necessary for these events, where they never used to be, basically all is lost. People need to control their own events not police. If it just becomes the norm that every party ends with police, then there is no incentive for hosts to take control. It's a big vicious cycle that needs to end. The way to break out of it is to stop the self-hatred that says we are so bad we need police to come control us. Party should break up naturally, and not spill out on to the street all at once. However the police have NO INCENTIVE to cultivating a responsible culture in Chico. It is entirely up to the young people. Ending the self-hatred is the start. -GB
- What if a homeowner or renter feels threatened by the gathering and are afraid of damage to property? The gathering could then be said to not be a peaceful assembly. So is it then still free speech as protected under the 1st amendment? And is it the responsibility of the person that feels threatened to make an effort to end the gathering him or herself despite potential for personal endangerment? —RyanMikulovsky
2009-01-30 14:43:50 My two cents, for what it's worth: It is my understanding that what happened yesterday (and I wasn't there and haven't heard anything to contradict it, so if you were there, please speak up) is that there was a whole bunch of people partying out in the street, having a good time. One thing led to another and it went from just hanging out and having fun to something more dangerous and destructive: a bonfire in the street. Police showed up and tried to break it up after the fire was already going. When the crowd wouldn't leave, they put on the riot gear and broke it up. It was not that the revelers were just hanging out and minding their own business when suddenly there were cops in riot gear, but that there was quite a progression that got to that point. Please, if you were actually there, correct me if I am wrong. If what I understand is correct, I have to disagree with Greg for this circumstance (not generally, just this particular party). Once people get destructive and put others in danger, and bonfires in the middle of the street are a danger to everyone at the party as well as everyone living nearby whose property could be damaged if the fire were to get out of control, that is exactly when the police need to move in and break it up. I have no problem with people getting together and having fun. I do have a problem when they are putting me and/or my property at risk. Even if the police had shown up to break up the party before the fire was set, two wrongs do not make a right and setting a fire in the street is no way to deal with it. If you are doing nothing wrong and want to assemble in the street (because it is your right to do so and you are not violating any laws such as noise ordinances) stand up for yourself, but do not become destructive and put others at risk. That does not help your cause whatsoever. Stand your ground and have a peaceful protest, but do it legally and safely. I have little sympathy for people who put me and my family at risk to prove their point. Finally, I have been to plenty of parties in Chico that did not get broken up by the police (in fact that would be about 90% of the ones I went to in my youth) because we were respectful of our neighbors and did our best not to disturb people. Your neighbors have just as much of a right to a good night's sleep as you do to have a party. Really, no one calls the cops on a party that is quiet and self-contained. People only call out the police when it gets loud, destructive and/or out of control. I think everyone needs to take a step back and reevaluate how we deal with things - including the police who may or may not be too quick to intercede, but also the partiers who are not the only citizens of Chico and who need to be considerate and not let things get out of hand and put others in danger. Okay, that was perhaps more than two cents' worth, but you know... —StaceyEllis
2011-04-05 05:55:47 My friend got maced in his "private parts", then bitten by a police dog, because he didn't want to leave his friend behind in that mess. —75.26.169.56
2011-04-05 05:55:52 My friend got maced in his "private parts", then bitten by a police dog, because he didn't want to leave his friend behind in that mess. —75.26.169.56
Footnotes
1. http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_10703614
2. Police disperse large crowd at westside disturbance; at least two arrests made, Chico ER, 1/30/2009