Spring Break
Mardi Gras mayhem hits downtown
Police say recklessness decreased from previous years
Zakk Jones
Daily Staff Writer
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Akili Ramsess, picture editor for the San Jose Mercury News, estimated that Dai Sugano, a 2002 graduate of SJSU's photojournalism program who now works as a photographer for the Mercury News, was in the vicinity of Santa Clara and Second streets around 1 a.m. when he encountered a group of partyers tossing newspaper racks.
Ramsess said someone tried to grab the camera from Sugano's neck, and the photographer was subsequently punched.
"The guy basically cold-cocked him," Ramsess said.
Ramsess said Sugano suffered a broken nose and is currently recovering at a medical facility.
Officer Gina Tepoorten, a spokeswoman for the San Jose Police Department, said about 12 to 15 arrests were made, and most of the night's incidents occurred along Santa Clara Street from Almaden Boulevard to about Fourth Street.
The incidents, Tepoorten said, included assaults on officers, public drunkenness and having an outstanding warrant in a stolen vehicle. Police on horseback were also assaulted with rocks and bottles, she said.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, a white pickup truck was flipped on its side by a group of partyers at around 11:30 p.m.
Several establishments downtown also had their windows smashed by partyers hurling rocks and newspaper stands, Tepoorten said.
The San Jose Repertory Theatre suffered a break-in when its gift-shop window was smashed by a flying chair, said Iain Campbell, facilities manager at the theater.
Extra security was present at the theater because of past problems with Mardi Gras-related break-ins.
"In past years, we've had several of these windows in our lobby broken out," Campbell said.
Campbell said security guards posted at the theater were "overrun."
According to a theater employee, no items from the gift shop were stolen, but Campbell said much of the inventory was damaged, which will cost the theater about $500.
Campbell said the city of San Jose, which owns the building, will have to pay approximately $20,000 to repair the gift-shop windows.
One of the buildings belonging to the Horizon Center on Second and Santa Clara streets also suffered damage when a sign was thrown through one window and a rock through another at about 10:30 p.m., said Joaquin Serpas, one of the security guards working at the building.
Serpas estimated that repairs would cost anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500.
Tepoorten said there was a negative reaction to the police presence downtown.
"They get mad at us for being there," said Tepoorten, who said there was an estimated crowd of around 4,000 people downtown Tuesday night.
According to Tepoorten, officers tried to keep the crowds moving in order to prevent larger crowds from gathering, which could have resulted in additional outbreaks of violence.
"We have to be out there in force ... for the safety of the people who are out there," Tepoorten said. "You get a few people who ruin it for everybody else."
In spite of the problems, Tepoorten said the situation was not as problematic as 2003's Mardi Gras celebration.
In past years, according to the San Jose Mercury news, incidents during Mardi Gras in San Jose have included overturned cars, harassment of women, vandalism and assaults on police officers.
Last year, the Mercury reports, at least 20 people were arrested for crimes ranging from vandalism to assault.
