SOUTH HAVEN (WKZO-AM) — South Haven Police Sgt. Kyle Griffith said dozens may be charged after a bottle-throwing riot on North Beach prior to Sunday’s “Light up the Lake” fireworks show.
Dozens were arrested or given civil citations. About a dozen were hit by bottles, including three police officers, but there were no serious injuries.
Police evacuated the beach around 10 p.m. after the fights broke out. Pepper spray was used to break up the crowds. Michigan State Police were also called in to help get everyone off the beach.
It was when the bottles were thrown that police made the decision to close the beach to the public.
A similar situation marred the fireworks in St. Joseph last year at Silver Beach County Park, but no evacuations were made in that case.
Police are planning a debriefing this week to talk about Sunday night. The goal will be to determine if they could have done something better. Griffith said they had brought in extra officers from all over in anticipation of a huge crowd, but it turned out they were not enough, and more had to be called in when the violence began.
They will be busy pursuing warrants to charge the dozens arrested Sunday night.
Griffith said it’s too early to say if they will impose new restrictions next year to prevent a repeat.
– WSJM-AM contributed to this story.
