Bury our scary history

Our Word
Daily Egyptian

When Southern Illinois authorities say they are cracking down for the Halloween weekend, they aren't kidding.

Two SIUC students found that out for themselves last weekend when they were arrested and charged with "misdemeanor theft." In other words, they played a prank and got caught.

When the Daily Egyptian spoke with one of the students, he said he and his friend were just joking around and that they were planning to return what they took.

He also said the Murphysboro police overreacted to the incident.

And maybe they did. But plan on seeing many "overreactions" this weekend.

"I guess the likelihood of somebody walking down the street carrying a drink being stopped is probably going to be a little higher because we≠ll have more officers available," said Carbondale Police Deputy Chief Steve Odum. "But other than that, it will be business as usual."

Business as usual, with a few unusual exceptions...

All the bars on the Strip will be closed, no kegs will be sold and the Carbondale Police Department plans to beef up its patrols by having more officers on watch. The SIUC Police Department is also set to increase its efforts to patrol the area during the weekend with the help of a federal safety grant to monitor drunken driving.

University Housing is taking measures to curb Halloween activities on campus by only allowing students who live in residence halls to enter the buildings between 7 p.m. Thursday and noon Sunday.

But when SIUC's past Halloween celebrations are taken into consideration, it is quite clear why the rules are expanding and people are going to great lengths to enforce them.

Stories of past Halloweens and the riots that plagued them remain, with powerful images of shattered shop windows and a Strip clouded by tear gas.

In 1981, a crowd of about 20,000 revelers clashed with police, resulting in dozens of arrests and almost 100 injuries. Yearly riots ensued sporadically throughout the 1980s, each time leaving a shattered wake of flipped cars and broken glass.

After the explosive riots in 1994, which required the National Guard to be called in and resulted in video footage on The Learning Channel in a "Binge Drinking and Riot" feature, the City Council moved to close bars on the Strip and restrict keg sales. But the frenzy was not stopped.

Despite the establishment of a five-year fall break by the University in 1995, parties wrought about $10,000 in property damage in 1996.

After a wave of calmer Halloween weekends, in 2000 the Carbondale City Council voted 3-2 to allow bars on the Strip to remain open and the sale of kegs to go unrestricted.

Then Mayor Neil Dillard said the council would live to regret that vote.

And they did after more than 100 arrests were made during that holiday weekend.

With our reputation, it is no wonder why police are ≥overreacting≈ to festive pranks.

In order to have a safe, and unruffled, weekend, - aka not end up in handcuffs - we must be on our best behavior.

And with all the alternative activities going on in Carbondale this weekend, that shouldn't be too hard.

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