Cedar Fest

Cedar Fest is a celebration held in East Lansing, Michigan. The event which started in the 70's was originally a semiannual party that occurred during the months of October and May. The event was held in Cedar Village, a densely populated student neighborhood boarding the Michigan State University campus. The event took off in the 80's and was regularly attended by thousands of people. Several riots ensued from the parties and property owners along with the city decided to put an end to the event. By 1987 the event was banned by police, and for many years it was not held. [http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2008/04/cedar_fest_a_mess The State News: Cedar Fest a mess ] ]

2008 Revival

Cedar Fest saw a revival in 2008, 20 years after the city had officially banned the event. The revival, which began as a campaign on Facebook as early as January, promised a "weekend long party" that would take place "throughout all of Cedar Village." [http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008804080323 More Cedar Fest arrests likely | lansingstatejournal.com | Lansing State Journal ] ] It drew up to 4,000 party goers and was officially declared an unlawful assembly as police launched 24 smoke grenades, 20 flash bangs, 20 stingball grenades and 13 rounds of tear gas to disperse the out of control crowd. Some revelers heaved bottles, cans and bricks at police officers, while two city vehicles had their windows broken and at least four fires were set. East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert remarked that the event "got to the point where I don’t see how we could have dispersed that crowd without tear gas." In fact, Wibert said after the police used flash bangs and smoke bombs, some students began to chant for tear gas. The riot cost close to $10,000 in damages and resulted in 52 arrests, 28 of them being MSU students. Police estimated that about 5% of MSU's student population was at the event.

Observers noted that police were more restrained compared to their handling of the 2005 riot of the Final Four loss of MSU's basketball team. In this incident, police began using tear gas just 15 minutes after crowds formed, launching 299 canisters in total. Eight members of the Lansing branch of the ACLU were on hand to monitor police actions during the 2008 Cedar Fest and to prevent them from handling it as they did the 2005 riot.

At a press conference following the event, Wibert said: cquote|It’s something that’s completely new for us. We’ve never had an incident like this instigated from a Web site. As far as I’m concerned, Cedar Fest is over and we’re not going to allow it to happen again. It’s not a tradition that East Lansing or Michigan State University wants to continue. As many trouble makers from last night as we can are going to be convicted and they’re not going to be here next year.

Cedar Fest History

*Oct. 28, 1983 First “official” Cedar Fest; 1,000 attend, 37 arrests
*May 19, 1984 5,000 attend, no major incidents
*Oct. 27, 1984 5,000 attend, more than 30 arrested
*May 18, 1985 6,000 attend, 14 arrests, 10 injured, approximately $2000 in damage
*Oct. 26, 1985 4,000 attend, no major incidents
*May 17, 1986 500 attend, 25 arrests, 22 injured
*Oct. 25, 1986 5,000 attend, 35 arrests, 24 injured
*Fall 1987: Permanent injunction makes it illegal to be at a Cedar Fest event in May or October.
*May 16, 1987 200 attend, 44 arrests, no damage or serious injuries
*October 1989: While not an official Cedar Fest, 3,000 rioters at Cedar Village Apartments burn furniture, bicycles and a moped and attack bystanders after MSU's football team loses to the University of Michigan.
*February 1990: A federal appeals court rules that an ordinance allowing police to barricade Cedar Village when officials suspected a party forming was unconstitutional.
*April 5, 2008 4,000 attend, 52 arrests

References