The area around the Iowa State Fairgrounds has been the scene of several fights over the past 10 days, according to Des Moines Police. They say dozens of African-American teens may have targeted white fairgoers.
Police say in the latest attack on the fair's final night, Sunday, 30 to 40 teens roamed the fairgrounds looking for trouble. They say some teens had been yelling, "It's beat whitey night."
State Troopers say they tried to disperse a crowd of teens Sunday night near the main gate at the fairgrounds. But once the teens left the grounds, they started fighting with Des Moines Police officers. One officer reported someone hit him and knocked him to the ground in the skirmish. In all, three officers reported minor injuries after teens punched and kicked them. Officers reported using chemical sprays and a Taser to subdue the attackers.
Police cited at least three teens for failing to disperse the area. Police spokeswoman Lori Lavarato said officers are still trying to figure out what role, if any, race had in the incidents. She said, "We had a lot of assaults on people randomly walking out of the Iowa State Fair. Most of our victims happen to be white. Is that a racial thing? I don't know. It's all under investigation."
Lavorato said the department had brought in an extra unit on Friday and on Saturday for extra protection. But she said the unit wasn't assigned to the fair Sunday when this latest fight happened.
Source:
http://www.whotv.com/news/who-story-fair-violence-082310,0,3610150.story
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