Dispute at Cedar Point on August 9th

[FeelTheFORCE]

This happened Saturday August 9th. I hadn't heard about this anywhere else until I went to www.thepointol.com and saw it at the top of the page. Apparently a man was on a bench, saving it for his family, when a woman of a different race came up and wanted to sit down. He refused to let her sit, and it escalated from there. Racial slurs were used and it broke out into a fight that involved over 30 people. Witnesses claim that the security was horrible, and that it took over a half an hour for them to respond.

 

I can't find any articles on it, but it was discussed for over two hours on the radio station, WTAM 1100. Here is the link to where you can listen to it.

 

It's really a shame that this happened, especially in front of children. Cedar Point, or any park for that matter, should be a place to go to have fun, relax, and enjoy one's self for the day, not a place of dispute and controversy.

 

UPDATE: Apparently the story was exaggerated a bit, according to this article.

[haux]

The Sandusky Register says it's exaggerated. The park isn't slow to respond when it comes to the police. 20 to 30 minutes? No way. If anything, people were arguing long before the police were even called.

 

Of course, that's from the park spokesman. But I still don't believe it. I've called the police and had them called before. They show up pretty quickly, even for line jumping. I don't believe they'd wait 30 minutes to show up to reports of a fight.

 

Edit: This radio show is stupid. But it's not a news program. It's a talk radio show with an idiotic host. So of course it can't be taken for fact.

[jamesdillaman]

I declare shenanigans.

 

This just screams sensationalism in news reporting. If it was truly a "riot" it wouldn't be this long before anyone heard about it.

 

-James Dillaman

[Team Thriller]

Maybe if they had as many benches as they do thrash cans, things like this wouldn't happen.

 

--James

[jamesdillaman]

^ thrash cans. That would be awesome!

[raptorcrew2002]

One word: Detroit.

 

Sorry but most likely true, otherwise redneck.

[haux]

One word: Detroit.

 

Sorry but most likely true, otherwise redneck.

Probably. The line jumping incident that I mentioned above was with some people from Detroit. I didn't let them line jump, and they threatened me. I knew they were from Detroit because they said no one would be like this (preventing them from line jumping) if they were back in Detroit.

 

Seriously, though, I had a ride host call the police, and they were there within minutes. Five or six officers showed up for that.

[FeelTheFORCE]

It's good to hear that this was exaggerated, I was hoping that it didn't really take them that long.

 

Parks these days do need more benches, though. Countless times I, or the people I am with, want to sit down, but we have to settle for a wall or the ground because all the benches are full and/or taken.

 

Regardless, however, it's still a shame that this occurred, and that children had to witness this. Some people need to grow up these days.

[Carnage]

Seriously, though, I had a ride host call the police, and they were there within minutes. Five or six officers showed up for that.

 

I had a similar experience.

 

A guy in front of us in line for MF had to be told by a ride host to put out his smoke. This was right at the base of the ramp going to the station. He then proceeded to light up another smoke after getting a bit further up the ramp. The ride host walked up and told him to get out of line, at which point he gave him attitude. Ride host went back and called it in.

 

Cops were waiting for him at the unload station when we got up there, pulled him out of line asking him how much he had to drink.

 

By the time I got off the ride he was on the midway in cuffs.

[dandaman]

Two years ago, I remember two people were accosted at the exit of Maxair for line-jumping (which I bore witness to), and they cut in line rather aggressively and intoxicated. Faster than you could say "Gemini trashcans" they were led out of the park.

[Jew]

I'm sure the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I doubt it was as big as the radio station made it out to be, but I also doubt it was as small a situation as the park spokesperson said as well.

[Coastercameron]

Another fight in a CF park with supposedly inadequate security response! This is becoming a trend this summer, first Valleyfair where an innocent guy got absolutely pummeled, now this where it sounds like both parties were somewhat at fault. I would expect this more at VF where security is about half 18-20 year old girls, but at CP where most security is actually police, with real guns I would expect a better response.

[Kalepi_Konei]

^ What happened at ValleyFair I can't find it anywhere?

 

As for this, I agree theres lies on both sides of this arguement (as there always is with everything.) But I don't believe it took that long for police/security to get there, though I don't believe they got there in a matter of minutes either. My guess is around 10-15 people (TOPS) and it takes the guards 7-15 minutes to get there. And thats after someone called it in, the time before someone called it in I would say 3 minutes (TOPS.) Thats my guess though, I'm not entirely sure about the parks operations and how quick they are, but I'm just saying on average this would be my estimated guess. I know here at IOA the guards respond VERY quickly, so I sort of based it off of that information.

[Coastercameron]

Wow... that story was HUGE on local news when it happened, so I'm rather suprised it never found it's way here. Essentially, a family at the park's daughter was harassed by a guy and when the father told him off, the thug called over 7 of his friends, and they beat the hell out of the father.

 

The original story is no longer avalible online, but here is a follow up that rehashes some of it.

 

http://www.startribune.com/local/south/26319019.html?elr=KArksUUUU